Chemometric-driven quantification of construction and demolition waste using Raman spectroscopy and SWIR: Enhancing sustainability in the ceramic sector

Abstract

Construction and demolition wastes (CDW) face low recycling rates due to the absence of reliable and industrially feasible quantification method for valorization. This study explores quantifying mixed construction materials through their homogenization, a novel proposal, and chemometric modeling. The problem materials were homogenized in known proportions for the acquisition of a statistical number of chemical data. Short-wave infrared and Raman spectroscopy (applied here for the first time) provided data for two independent models. Principal Component Analysis and Improved Kernel Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis were employed for model construction. These models were successfully applied to a real CDW sample from a Spanish management plant, yielding comparable results. This cost-effective methodology allows the quantification of stony aggregates within CDW, enhancing their recycling potential in the ceramic sector. Addressing the scarcity of reliable CDW quantification procedures, this approach and the use of Raman technique hold promise for advancing CDW valorization and sustainability.