Performance characteristics and applications of silkworm excrement and derivative materials

Recycling waste materials and transforming them into high-value-added products constitutes a vital pathway for establishing circular agriculture. Silkworm excrement (SE), often regarded as agricultural waste, can significantly reduce environmental pollution when subjected to modification processes and extraction of active components, thereby simultaneously advancing the circular economy. Through various modification methods such as pyrolysis and doping, coupled with the extraction of diverse active substances, SE-derived materials have been successfully produced. Breakthroughs in the efficient extraction of active components, alongside increases in specific surface area, pore volume, and adsorption capacity, enable their effective application across multiple fields, including agriculture, energy, and medicine. This resource utilization approach offers multiple advantages. Waste pollution is reduced, and the environment is restored; the sericulture industry chain is extended, and the implementation and dissemination of sustainable green agriculture have also been effectively promoted. This paper reviews and summarizes relevant research developments, offering reference points for subsequent studies and applications within this field.