Application of hydrothermal reaction in resource recovery of organic wastes

The recovery of waste substances is not only important for prevention of environmental issues, but also for rational utilization of natural resources. Hydrothermal reaction is a prominent method for the treatment of organic wastes and has been attracting worldwide attention. During the process, various reactions such as oxidation, hydrolysis, dehydration and thermal decomposition can be carried out energetically so that the reaction can be successfully used for oxidizing organic wastes to CO2 and other innocuous end products, as well as for conversion of organic wastes to fuels or useful materials, such as biocrude, hydrogen, glucose, lactic acid, acetic acid, amino acids, etc. This article presents the concepts of the reaction, and reviews its application in organic waste recycling.