Disposal Of Products Research Articles

Preference-based multi-attribute decision-making method with spherical-Z fuzzy sets for green product design

Green product design, i.e., design that harmonizes with the environment, is a crucial component for addressing environmental considerations in the earliest stages of the product life cycle, e.g., new energy vehicles (NEVs), that minimize negative environmental impacts. The designs can encompass material selection, resource use, production requirements, recycling, reuse and the disposal of products. Selecting the optimal design alternative considering multiple attribute indices, e.g., environmental indicators and functional indicators, is a typical multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) problem. This study proposes a hybrid preference-based MADM method with spherical-Z fuzzy numbers (SZFNs) for solving the green product design fuzzy information problem. SZFNs are designed to mine the internal hidden information of traditional Z-numbers, and they combine the characteristics of the reliability constraints of Z-numbers and the advantages of spherical linguistic sets. The operation, aggregation operators and probabilistic measure method of SZFNs are defined in this study. The weight vector of the criteria is obtained by adopting the degree of possibility of spherical-Z (DPSZ). The hybrid MADM method is developed by incorporating the total utility of spherical-Z, which is used to convert the internal meaning of the evaluation information into an additive ratio assessment using gray relation analysis (ARAS-GRA) to obtain the optimal alternative. Finally, a case study, i.e., five green product design schemes for NEVs, is adopted to verify the effectiveness and robustness of this proposed method. A comparative analysis, sensitivity analysis and comprehensive discussion are conducted in this research. The results confirm that this proposed method has an improved performance, and provides some references for designers.

Under what circumstances can the forest sector contribute to 2050 climate change mitigation targets? A study from forest ecosystems to landfill methane emissions for the province of Quebec, Canada

AbstractMeeting climate change mitigation targets by 2050, as outlined in international pledges, involves determining optimal strategies for forest management, wood supply, the substitution of greenhouse gas‐intensive materials and energy sources, and wood product disposal. Our study quantified the cumulative mitigation potential by 2050 of the forest sector in the province of Quebec, Canada, using several alternative strategies and assessed under what circumstances the sector could contribute to the targets. We used the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector to project ecosystems emissions and sequestration of seven alternative and one baseline (business‐as‐usual [BaU]) forest management scenarios over the 2018–2050 period. Three baskets of wood products were used in a Harvested Wood Products model to predict wood product emissions. The mitigation potential was determined by comparing the cumulative CO2e budget of each alternative scenario to the BaU. The proportion of methane emissions from landfills (RCH4%) and the required displacement factor (RDF) to achieve mitigation benefits were assessed both independently and jointly. The fastest and most efficient way to improve mitigation outcomes of the forest sector of Quebec is to reduce end‐of‐life methane emissions from wood products. By reducing methane emissions, the RDF for achieving mitigation benefits through intensification strategies can be reduced from 1.2–2.3 to 0–0.9 tC/tC, thus reaching the current provincial mean DF threshold (0.9). Both a reduction and an increase in the harvested volume have the potential to provide mitigation benefits with adequate RCH4% and RDF. Increased carbon sequestration in ecosystems, innovations in long‐lived wood products, and optimal substitution in markets offer potential avenues for the forest sector to contribute to mitigation benefits but are subject to significant uncertainties. Methane emission reduction at the end of wood product service life is emerging as a valuable approach to enhance mitigation benefits of the forest sector.

Sustainable production-inventory system for perishables under dynamic fuel pricing and preservation technology investment.

In the production and inventory management of perishables, environmental considerations are gaining prominence. By reducing carbon emissions from various supply chain processes, such as production, transportation, warehousing, and waste disposal of perishable items, the present study aims to minimize the overall cost to the manufacturer through an optimized investment in green technology. Additionally, cycle time and preservation technology investment are optimized to decrease deterioration and revenue loss in order to minimize cost. The originality of the present research lies in the following considerations. Due to an increase in fuel price, the transportation cost of every subsequent order will also increase, thus resulting in an increase of average delivery cost in a production cycle. We investigate the impact of changes in fuel prices on transportation costs and production inventory model policies due to the volatile nature of fuel prices. The function of transportation cost can be used to calculate transport costs in the future. The deterioration rate is a random variable with a double triangular distribution. Precisely, the demand for any product depends on the product's price; therefore, linear price-dependent demand is considered. Per unit production cost is a function of direct material cost, tooling cost, and manpower cost. Taking into account all the aforementioned parameters, this paper simultaneously optimizes green technology investment, preservation investment, and cycle time. To achieve the solution of the proposed sustainable production system, an optimization technique for the nonlinear function is employed. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted to validate the model. A special case of a numerical example demonstrates that the expected value of the total average cost is reduced by 10.723% when investments are made in both green and preservation technology, whereas investments in green technology alone result in a cost reduction of only 2.15%. Then, managerial implications and a discussion of findings are proposed after a sensitivity analysis that examines the model's response to key parameter variation. The study concludes with a discussion of the limitations of current work and possible future scopes.

Fundamentals of Ensuring the Environmental Safety of Building Materials at all Stages of their Life Cycle

Introduction. Environmental safety assessment for selecting the optimal technology of building materials manufacture is quite relevant. The necessity of environmental assessment (environmental safety assessment) of each life cycle stage of any building material (from the purchase of raw materials or the manufacture of products out of natural resources to the disposal of products) has been distinguished as a scientific problem for the present research, alongside, the authors have supplemented the schematic diagram of a building material life cycle with the transportation stage (of raw materials, finished products). The object of the study is a notional building material, and the purpose of the study is assessment of the stress imposed on the environment components by each life cycle stage of a notional building material. This work should foster implementation of more environmentally safe technology of building materials manufacture.Materials and Methods. The authors examined the interrelation between the properties of materials and the quality of the environment using the methods of comparative and system analysis, the graph method and the qualimetric method. Results. As a result of the conducted research, the potential impacts of a notional building material on the environment at all life cycle stages have been analysed — from purchase of raw materials, manufacture and use of products till their processing at the end of service life, recycling and final disposal (the cycle “from cradle to grave”). The authors proposed to take into account the stages of transportation of raw materials and finished products within the building materials life cycle to make a more accurate assessment of their impact on the environment. This approach allows taking into account the entire life cycle and applying the data to solving the environmental problems, such as reducing the amount of emissions, discharges and wastes, thus, fostering saving the resources.Discussion and Conclusions. The environmental assessment of a building material life cycle, should, first of all, take into account the share of its negative impact in the aggravation of the global environmental problems, including global warming, ozone destruction in the stratospheric layer of the atmosphere, formation of ozone in the tropospheric layer, oxidation of water resources and soils, eutrophication of water bodies, depletion of non-renewable energy sources (oil, gas, coal). The carried out analysis allows the authors to conclude that significant differences in the degree of negative impact of the notional building materials on the environment components are observed at the stage of their manufacture.

Characteristics of Hazardous Waste and Recovery

Hazardous waste accounts for a small proportion of the total waste, but this waste poses the greatest harm to human health and the living environment. Hazardous waste greatly impacts the whole waste classification and treatment work and has special requirements for putting in and disposal. To understand the current situation of daily disposal of hazardous waste, to clarify the existing problems in the process of hazardous waste disposal and to improve the disposal capacity of hazardous waste, this paper will analyze the characteristics and common recycling methods of three typical hazardous wastes. Each hazardous waste recycling method has a certain negative impact on the environment. The disposal of waste products is easy to cause secondary pollution. Through the analysis of the cost and impact of these treatments, a more complete recovery system is worth promoting. Improving the recycling process helps reduce the negative impact of hazardous waste in the treatment project.

Assessing the Impact of Polyethylene Nano/Microplastic Exposure on Human Vaginal Keratinocytes.

The global rise of single-use throw-away plastic products has elicited a massive increase in the nano/microplastics (N/MPLs) exposure burden in humans. Recently, it has been demonstrated that disposable period products may release N/MPLs with usage, which represents a potential threat to women's health which has not been scientifically addressed yet. By using polyethyl ene (PE) particles (200 nm to 9 μm), we showed that acute exposure to a high concentration of N/MPLs induced cell toxicity in vaginal keratinocytes after effective cellular uptake, as viability and apoptosis data suggest, along with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. The internalised N/MPLs altered the expression of junctional and adherence proteins and the organisation of the actin cortex, influencing the level of genes involved in oxidative stress signalling pathways and that of miRNAs related to epithelial barrier function. When the exposure to PE N/MPLs was discontinued or became chronic, cells were able to recover from the negative effects on viability and differentiation/proliferation gene expression in a few days. However, in all cases, PE N/MPL exposure prompted a sustained alteration of DNA methyltransferase and DNA demethylase expression, which might impact epigenetic regulation processes, leading to accelerated cell ageing and inflammation, or the occurrence of malignant transformation.

Quantifying insulin-mediated and noninsulin-mediated changes in glucose dynamics during resistance exercise in type 1 diabetes.

Exercise can cause dangerous fluctuations in blood glucose in people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Aerobic exercise, for example, can cause acute hypoglycemia secondary to increased insulin-mediated and noninsulin-mediated glucose utilization. Less is known about how resistance exercise (RE) impacts glucose dynamics. Twenty-five people with T1D underwent three sessions of either moderate or high-intensity RE at three insulin infusion rates during a glucose tracer clamp. We calculated time-varying rates of endogenous glucose production (EGP) and glucose disposal (Rd) across all sessions and used linear regression and extrapolation to estimate insulin- and noninsulin-mediated components of glucose utilization. Blood glucose did not change on average during exercise. The area under the curve (AUC) for EGP increased by 1.04 mM during RE (95% CI: 0.65-1.43, P < 0.001) and decreased proportionally to insulin infusion rate (0.003 mM per percent above basal rate, 95% CI: 0.001-0.006, P = 0.003). The AUC for Rd rose by 1.26 mM during RE (95% CI: 0.41-2.10, P = 0.004) and increased proportionally with insulin infusion rate (0.04 mM per percent above basal rate, CI: 0.03-0.04, P < 0.001). No differences were observed between the moderate and high resistance groups. Noninsulin-mediated glucose utilization rose significantly during exercise before returning to baseline roughly 30-min postexercise. Insulin-mediated glucose utilization remained unchanged during exercise sessions. Circulating catecholamines and lactate rose during exercise despite relatively small changes observed in Rd. Results provide an explanation of why RE may pose a lower overall risk for hypoglycemia.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Aerobic exercise is known to cause decreases in blood glucose secondary to increased glucose utilization in people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, less is known about how resistance-type exercise impacts glucose dynamics. Twenty-five participants with T1D performed in-clinic weight-bearing exercises under a glucose clamp. Mathematical modeling of infused glucose tracer allowed for quantification of the rate of hepatic glucose production as well as rates of insulin-mediated and noninsulin-mediated glucose uptake experienced during resistance exercise.

Microbial metabolic activity in metal(loid)s contaminated sites impacted by different non-ferrous metal activities

Many non-ferrous metal mining and smelting activities have caused severe metal(loid) contamination in the local soil environment. The metabolic activity of soil microorganisms in four areas affected by different metallurgical activities (production vs. waste disposal) was characterized using a contamination gradient from the contaminated site to the surrounding soils. Results indicated that the soil microcalorimetric and enzyme activities were correlated with the fractionated metal(loid) properties (p < 0.05). All four areas had high total As, Cd, Pb, Sb, and Zn concentrations, of which mobile As, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Zn were higher in the contaminated sites than the surrounding sites, reflecting an elevated environmental risk. Three contaminated site areas had lower microbial activities than their surrounding sites suggesting that high metal(loid) concentrations inhibited soil microbial communities. Interestingly, the fourth area (tailing pond) showed an opposite trend (i.e., increased microbial activity in contaminated vs. surrounding areas). The microbial thermodynamic parameters of this contaminated site were higher than its surrounding sites, suggesting that the selected microbial communities can develop a functional resistance to metal(loid)s stress. This study provides a theoretical basis for ecological prevention and control of metal-polluted areas.

Six Sigma Production Implementation of PET-Modified HMA – A Latin American Case Study

Abstract The increase in consumption of goods and products, mainly of disposable products, at the global level has resulted in a considerable impact to the environment. Specifically, waste plastics can be associated with an extremely high social cost and can greatly affect the local environment when not properly discarded. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that 6.4 million tons of garbage end up in the oceans at an alarming rate of 200 kg per second. Plastics represent 80 % of these wastes. This paper proposes the use of waste plastics in the production of hot mix asphalt (HMA) based on a process production implementation using the identify, define, optimize, and validate Six Sigma methodology for quality control assurance. The procedure involved consumer use requirements, material analysis, HMA design, production design, quality control processes, and, finally, the construction of test sections in two different countries in Latin America: Costa Rica and Bolivia. One of the challenges documented in the paper was the implementation of the waste material-modified HMA on small, local producer facilities while meeting all production requirements to ensure the success of the process. Also, based on circularity principles, the project represents a revolution regarding the implementation of a linear production system within a circular process that is partly intended to ensure that the footprint of waste plastics on the environment is reduced while taking advantage of the properties of the waste polymers to improve the performance of the modified HMA.

Environmental Ethics and Mental Health during COVID-19

As the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, population density, ecological changes, etc. natural phenomena are shown. The physical, chemical, biological, socioeconomic, cultural and psychological effects of COVID-19 have been felt all over the world. COVID-19 negatively affects the environment with an unbalanced increase in medical waste and disposable products, while quarantine and pandemic measures have given an opportunity for nature to renew itself. The causes and consequences of COVID-19 have brought the concepts of environmental health and therefore environmental ethics to the agenda of healthcare professionals. As the environmental ethics attitudes and behaviors of health professionals develop, health professionals will be able to take initiatives to create these attitudes and behaviors in society. Environmental ethics has been evaluated in the context of public health, mostly in the physical health. However, environmental ethics is also very important in terms of community mental health. Living in an unhealthy environment threatens mental health. Because people want to live in a safe environment, every factor that threatens this trust poses a risk for mental health. There is actually literally no way to talk about happiness in an environment where there is no environmental order and nature is deteriorated and polluted. Therefore, we aimed to explain the concepts of environmental health, environmental ethics and mental health during the COVID-19 process. Thus, an important strategy development in the pandemic process can be achieved by enabling the assessment and management of the causes of the COVID-19 pandemic from a broader perspective.

Plastic Pollution: Understanding the Global Threat and Countermeasures

Plastic pollution is one of today’s most serious environmental problems. The production of disposable plastic products has increased rapidly, far outpacing the world’s ability to deal with them. Plastic waste can be found in every part of the world, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains, and it is wreaking havoc on wildlife and ecosystems.

Disposable Microfluidic Paper-Based Device for On-Site Quantification of Urinary Creatinine

In this work, a new microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD) was developed for on-hand creatinine quantification in urine samples. When compared to conventional methods, this innovative paper device is more accessible and portable, it provides low-cost analysis (cost of consumables of 40 cents), and it is applicable to non-invasive biological fluids. Furthermore, the paper-based approach is used within an environmentally friendly assembly with no need for wax printing and small amounts of reagents resulting in low waste production and easy disposal by incineration. Its assembly method includes cutting paper discs arranged into several reading units within a plastic pouch, enabling effective creatinine quantification with accuracy based on a vertical flow approach. The method is based on the colourimetric reaction between creatinine and alkaline picric acid, where the solution colour changes from yellow to orange/red. Under optimal conditions, the developed method allowed creatinine quantification in the dynamic range of 2.20–35.0 mg/dL, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.66 mg/dL and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 2.20 mg/dL. The colour intensity developed was processed in ImageJ software, based on digital image scanning, performed in 20 min (up to 4 h) after the sample insertion. The device is stable for up to one week when stored in a vacuum at 4 °C. The method was validated by comparing the results with a batch-wise procedure, where there were no statistically significant differences between both methods.

Using human-centered design to co-design dedicated menstrual health spaces with people who menstruate in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda: Learnings for further adaptation and scale in humanitarian settings

BackgroundMany people who menstruate in low- and middle-income countries struggle to manage their menstruation safely, hygienically, and with dignity. This is exacerbated in humanitarian settings with limited access to menstrual products and safe, private spaces for changing, washing, and disposing of menstrual products. To address these challenges, Youth Development Labs (YLabs) used a human-centered design approach to co-design the Cocoon Mini, a safe, physical structure for managing menstruation in the Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement in Uganda.MethodsThe study comprised five phases, including background research, design research, rough prototyping, live prototyping, and a pilot study. A total of 340 people, including people who menstruate, male community members, and community stakeholders, participated in interviews, focus groups, and co-design sessions. Solution prototypes were created, evaluated, and iterated upon in each successive project phase. The final intervention design, the Cocoon Mini, was evaluated qualitatively for feasibility and acceptability during a three-month pilot using structured interviews with 109 people who menstruate utilizing Cocoon Mini structures, 64 other community members, and 20 Cocoon Mini supervisors.ResultsResults showed widespread desirability and acceptability of the Cocoon Mini among people who menstruate and other community members. Overall, 95% (104/109) of people who menstruate stated the space had made menstrual health management easier, primarily by providing designated waste bins, solar lights, and additional water sources. The Cocoon Mini provided an increased sense of physical and psychological safety in knowing where to privately manage menstruation. Furthermore, the Cocoon Mini demonstrated that an intervention could be run and maintained sustainably at the household level in humanitarian contexts, without continued external stakeholder intervention. Each Cocoon Mini structure costs approximately $360 USD to build and maintain and serves 15–20 people who menstruate, leading to a cost per person of $18-$24. Furthermore, attaching an incinerator to the structure for easier and quicker disposal of waste bin contents (compared to transporting full waste bins elsewhere) costs $2110 USD.ConclusionsPeople who menstruate lack access to safe, private spaces for menstrual health and product disposal in humanitarian settings. The Cocoon Mini provides a solution for the safe and effective management of menstruation. Customizing and scaling up dedicated menstrual health spaces should be considered a high-priority intervention in humanitarian settings.

Influence of Weathering on the Degradation of Cellulose Acetate Microplastics Obtained from Used Cigarette Butts.

Cellulose acetate is used in many applications, including for cigarette filters. Unfortunately, unlike cellulose, its (bio)degradability is under question, yet it often ends up uncontrolled in the natural environment. The main purpose of this study is to compare the effects of weathering on two types of cigarette filter (classic filters and newer filters that have more recently arrived on the market) following their use and disposal in nature. Microplastics were prepared from polymer parts of used (classic and heated tobacco products-HTP) cigarettes and artificially aged. TG/DTA, FTIR, and SEM analyses were performed both before and after the aging process. Newer tobacco products contain an additional film made of a poly(lactic acid) polymer which, like cellulose acetate, burdens the environment and poses a risk to the ecosystem. Numerous studies have been conducted on the disposal and recycling of cigarette butts and cigarette butt extracts, revealing alarming data that have also influenced the decisions of the EU, who addressed the disposal of tobacco products in the EU Directive (EU) 2019/904. Despite this, there is still no systematic analysis in the literature evaluating the impact of weathering (i.e., accelerated aging) on the degradation of cellulose acetate in classic cigarettes compared with that in newer tobacco products that have recently appeared on the market. This is of particular interest given that the latter have been promoted as being healthier and environmentally friendly. The results show that in cellulose acetate cigarette filters the particle size decreased after accelerated aging. Also, the thermal analysis revealed differences in the behavior of the aged samples, while the FTIR spectra showed no shifts in the position of the peaks. Organic substances break down under UV light, which can be seen by measuring the color change. The PLA film was found to be more stable than cellulose acetate under the influence of UV light.

254-OR: Effects of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass on Postprandial Glucose Turnover Assessed through the Single-Tracer Oral Minimal Model

Rearrangements of gastrointestinal anatomy after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery alter postprandial glucose metabolism. However, the impact on different components of glucose homeostasis remain incompletely understood. Here, we aim to evaluate the effects of RYGB on postprandial glucose turnover, production (P) and disposal (D) glucose effectiveness (GEP, GED) and production and disposal sensitivity to insulin (SIP, SID). Ten RYGB (2M, age=39.2±3.1 y, BMI=28±1 kg/m2- mean±SE) subjects and 10 healthy controls (5M, age=36.4±3.2 y, BMI=26±1 kg/m2) ingested 60g of glucose (G) labelled with [6,6-2H2]-glucose. Plasma samples were frequently drawn to measure G, insulin (I) and tracer concentrations in the following 180 min. The Single-Tracer Oral Minimal Model was used to estimate meal glucose rate of appearance (Ra), endogenous glucose production (EGP), glucose disposal (Rd), GEP, GED, SIP and SID. Incremental area under the G curve (iAUC(G)) was not different in the two groups, while iAUC(I) was significantly higher in RYGB (8346±803 vs. 5451±602 μU/mL*min, p=0.011); iAUC(Ra) normalized to the G dose was significantly higher in the first 60 min after the meal (0.72±0.04 vs. 0.28±0.03, p&amp;lt;0.001) while, throughout the experiment, EGP suppression (EGPs) normalized to basal (EGPb) was significantly lower (0.31±0.06 vs. 0.55±0.05, p=0.006) and iAUC(Rd) normalized to basal (Rdb) was higher (3.46±0.10 vs. 2.82±0.08, p&amp;lt;0.001) in RYGB than controls. Model predicted SIP was significantly lower in RYGB than controls (2.0±0.5 vs. 5.1±1.2 10-4 dL/kg/min per μU/mL, p=0.033) while no differences were observed in GEP, GED and SID. We concluded that the abnormally high I concentration in RYGB was responsible for the higher iAUC(Rd) in the operated individuals, while the reduced SIP likely works as a protective mechanism against postprandial hypoglycaemia by reducing EGPs despite the high circulating I. Disclosure A.Brunasso: None. C.Dalla man: Research Support; Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Becton, Dickinson and Company. D.Herzig: None. L.Bally: Research Support; Dexcom, Inc., Ypsomed AG. M.Schiavon: None. Funding Italian Minister for Education (Law 232/2016); Swiss National Science Foundation (PCEGP3_186978)

Increased oxidative stress responses in murine macrophages exposed at the air-liquid interface to third- and fourth-generation electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) aerosols

BackgroundNew fourth generation electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) devices contain high levels of nicotine salt (up to 60 mg/mL), whose cellular and molecular effects on immune cells are currently unknown. Here, we used a physiologically-relevant in vitro air-liquid interface (ALI) exposure model to assess the toxicity of distinct ENDS, a 3rd-generation electronic-cigarette (e-cig) and two 4th-generation ENDS devices (JUUL and Posh Plus). MethodsMurine macrophages (RAW 264.7) were exposed at the ALI to either air, Menthol or Crème Brûlée-flavored ENDS aerosols generated from those devices for 1-hour per day for 1 or 3 consecutive days. Cellular and molecular toxicity was evaluated 24 h post-exposure. Results1-day of Menthol-flavored JUUL aerosol exposure significantly decreased cell viability and significantly increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels compared to air controls. Further, JUUL Menthol elicited significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) production compared to air controls. Posh Crème Brûlée-flavored aerosols displayed significant cytotoxicity – decreased cell viability and increased LDH levels –after 1- and 3-day exposures, while the Crème Brûlée-flavored aerosol produced by the 3rd-generation e-cig device only displayed significant cytotoxicity after 3 days compared to air controls. Further, both Posh and third-generation e-cig Crème Brûlée flavored-aerosols elicited significantly increased ROS plus high levels of 8-isoprostane after 1 and 3 days compared to air controls, indicating increased oxidative stress. Posh and third-generation e-cig Crème Brûlée flavored-aerosols elicited reduction in NO levels after one day, but elicited increase in NO after 3 days. Genes in common dysregulated by both devices after 1 day included α7nAChR, Cyp1a1, Ahr, Mmp12, and iNos. ConclusionOur results suggest that ENDS Menthol and Crème Brûlée-flavored aerosol exposures from both 3rd- and 4th-generation ENDS devices are cytotoxic to macrophages and cause oxidative stress. This can translate into macrophage dysfunction. Although 4th-generation disposable ENDS devices have no adjustable operational settings and are considered low-powered ENDS devices, their aerosols can induce cellular toxicity compared to air-exposed control cells. This study provides scientific evidence for regulation of nicotine salt-based disposable ENDS products.

Life Cycle Analyses of Fertilizers: Carbon Emissions as a Measure of Energy Effi ciency

Using the analysis of the life cycle of fertilizers, it is shown that the values of greenhouse gas emissions can be considered as an indicator of energy ef iiency. Taking into account the huge array of data accumulated in recent years on greenhouse gas emissions (primarily CO2 and methane), it is possible to consider the problem of energy ef iiency (carbon dioxide emissions occur during fuel combustion, f rst of all, as well methane and CO 2 as precursors for N fertilizer) in the chain from fertilizer production to their logistics, application, production and waste disposal. Relevant examples are given in the text of the article. It is shown, that an increase in energy ef iiency in the considered life cycle of fertilizers, from production to utilization of agricultural waste, can signif cantly reduce the role of agricultural production in undesirable GHG emissions. It should be emphasized that reducing the potential of GHG emissions in the production of fertilizers depends on the source of energy used and the transfer of power plants from coal to gas, and especially RES, will be the most signif cant. When growing products, factors related to the use of modern farming systems based on accurate fertilization, the use of electronic soil maps, precision farming and increasing the ef iiency of fertilizer use, in particular, nitrogen and phosphorus, play a very important role.

1645-P: Diabetes-Associated Variation in TCF7L2 Is Associated with a Longitudinal Decline in Glucose Tolerance Accompanied by Impaired Suppression of Postprandial Glucagon Secretion

Diabetes-associated alleles in TCF7L2 increase the rate of conversion from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Multiple studies have shown an association of the T allele at rs7903146 with impaired β-cell function and more recently with defective suppression of α-cell secretion by glucose. However, the temporal relationship of these abnormalities is uncertain. To study the longitudinal changes in islet function, we recruited 140 individuals half of whom were homozygous for the diabetes-associated allele (TT) at rs7903146. The remainder were homozygous for the protective allele (CC). Subjects were studied on 2 occasions, 3 years apart using an oral 75g glucose challenge. This was labelled with 13C-glucose, in concert with intravenously infused tracers to enable measurement of endogenous glucose production, meal appearance and glucose disposal. Indices for insulin secretion and action were estimated using the oral minimal model. Fasting, peak and integrated (443 ± 27 vs. 428 ± 50 mmol/l per 6hr, p = 0.54) post-prandial glucose concentrations did not differ over time in people with the CC genotype. In contrast, post-prandial integrated glucose concentrations increased (441 ± 29 vs. 544 ± 37 mmol/l per 6hr, p &amp;lt; 0.01) in people with the TT genotype. This was accompanied by an increase in integrated postprandial glucagon concentrations (526 ± 39 vs. 618 ± 61 pmol/l per 2hr, p = 0.04) that was not observed in the CC genotype (537 ± 50 vs. 525 ± 65 pmol/l per 2hr, p = 0.07). There were no baseline differences in β-cell function between genotype groups. Disposition Index in both TT (950 ± 130 vs. 868 ± 92 10-4 dl/kg/min per μU/ml, baseline vs. follow-up study respectively, p=0.42) and CC (896 ± 177 vs. 1062 ± 289 10-4 dl/kg/min per μU/ml, p=0.65) groups did not change. This data would suggest that α-cell dysfunction associated with the TT genotype (rs7903146) precedes β-cell dysfunction in people prior to the development of T2DM. Disclosure M.Zeini: None. K.Muthusamy: None. A.M.Egan: None. M.C.Laurenti: None. C.Cobelli: None. C.Dalla man: Research Support; Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Becton, Dickinson and Company. A.Vella: Advisory Panel; Rezolute, Inc., Consultant; Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Hanmi Pharm. Co., Ltd., Zealand Pharma A/S, Other Relationship; Novo Nordisk. Funding National Institutes of Health (DK116723)

CIRCULAR VALUE PROPOSITION FOR THE COFFEE CAPSULE CHAIN FROM A SUSTAINABLE PSS SOLUTION DESIGN METHOD

AbstractProduct-service systems (PSS) are one of the business models that can promote circular economy and sustainability; however, to design this kind of solution, holistic approaches must be used, integrating different areas of knowledge. Thus, this study proposes a conceptual solution based on the PSS business model to the problem of reverse logistics of coffee capsules, through the application of the Requirements Engineering method for Sustainable PSS design, with a focus on the initial phase. With an emphasis on the business model and value proposition, a conceptual solution was developed to promote the circularity of the capsule chain based on the analysis of the main stakeholders' needs. The value proposition of the PSS solution for the issue of coffee capsules was described as the “cocreation of sustainable value to stakeholders to foster the circularity of the chain”, considering consumer involvement through education and rewards in product disposal processes. The results reinforce the need to integrate critical stakeholders to add the desired value in creating a sustainable PSS solution and the need to pivot the business model during the solution development process.

Superacid-Assisted Degradation of Polystyrene

We report the degradation pathway of polystyrene in a low-temperature environment by superacid. Polystyrene is a thermoplastic resin widely used in packaging, disposable products, and structural materials. However, economically viable upcycling of polystyrene has yet to be established because of the high cost of chemical recycling and the low value of products. To understand the degradation pathway of polystyrene and establish competitive upcycling practices, we investigated the transformation of normal and deuterated polystyrene chains into small compounds by triflic acid at 20 °C. The degradation study of deuterated polystyrene showed the high stability of the hydrogens at the α carbons of polymerized styrene against triflic acid, which suggests the known β-scission degradation pathway of polystyrene by α-proton abstraction is unlikely. Rather, the polystyrene degradation proceeds through three distinct stages: (i) intrachain cross-linking that forms polymer nanoparticles and simultaneous transformation of polymerized styrene to indan units, (ii) degradation of the polymer nanoparticles into small molecular weight compounds, and (iii) formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The stepwise degradation pathway of polystyrene we report may enable the design of efficient and profitable upcycling processes for end-of-life polystyrene products in low-temperature environments.