Recycling Of Products Research Articles

Comparative Analysis of Formal and Informal E-Waste Disposal Methods in Gurgaon: Implications for Environmental Pollution and Public Health

This research aims at the analysis of the effects of formal and informal methods of managing e-waste in Gurgaon–India. Having emerged as one of the most rapidly urbanizing cities in and around the technology belt of India southeastern Gurgaon is confronted with pressing issues of managing its increasing e-waste flow. The study aims to make a comparison of pollution situation as well as health impacts between formal and informal e-waste recycling industries. Research also shows that those methods involve informal processing of more than 95% of Gurgaon’s e- waste and result in much higher emission levels to the air, water, and soil as compared to the formal wash and drain recycling. This sector is common in developing nations and is considered hazardous to the environment as well as the health of workers as it involves the recycling of products that have hazardous chemicals that are released into the environment while recycling. E-waste categorized under informal disposal method has grave health impacts which have been proven by Toddler mortality ratio resulting from respiratory inferences and neuro disorder. The research also emphasises improved possibilities of controlled formal disposal systems on environmental conservation and health. These observations show how there is a dire need for improving legislation around these sectors, as well as increased surveillance of the informal sector that should be integrated into the formal recycling channels. In the light of the findings, it can be concluded that in order to have effective policy interventions on e-waste scenario in Gurgaon it is necessary to strengthen existing norms, public awareness and generation of context relevant technology in the growing urban paradigm.

Effect of Chemical Structure and Apparent Density of Rigid Polyurethane Foams on the Properties of Their Chemical Recycling Products.

The aim of this work was to synthesize polyurethane foams based on petrochemical polyols and biopolyols with specific apparent densities (40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 kg/m3), test their properties, glycolyze them, and finally analyze each glycolyzed product. The petroleum-based foams, used as reference foams, and the bio-based foams underwent a series of standard tests to define their properties (the content of closed cells 20-95%, compressive strength 73-1323 kPa, thermal conductivity 24-42 mW/m∙K, brittleness 4.6-82.9%, changes in linear dimensions < 1%, and water absorption < 1%). Taking into account the need for recycling, the foams were shredded and then glycolyzed by diethylene glycol, with the addition of a catalyst in the form of potassium hydroxide. The chemolysis products were analyzed through determination, i.e., the amine and the hydroxyl values, viscosity, and molecular weight. The obtained rebiopolyols had hydroxyl numbers ranging from 476 to 511 mg KOH/g. The type of biopolyol used in the PUR foam systems had a significant impact on the amine number and the viscosity of the obtained rebiopolyol.

Environmental Education in Promoting Sustainable Practices: Use of Indigenous Games and Play in Raising Awareness in Elementary School Students

Objective: The article aims to analyze how the Methodology of the Three Pedagogical Moments, combined with the use of indigenous games and play, can contribute to the promotion of environmental education in encouraging the development of sustainable practices among elementary school students. Theoretical Framework: The article aims to investigate how the use of indigenous games and games can contribute, as pedagogical tools, to the promotion of sustainable practices and environmental awareness among elementary school students. Method: The research comprises a qualitative approach, organized according to the Three Pedagogical Moments Methodology (3PM). Data collection was carried out using the following instruments: introductory lecture, questionnaires, research prepared by students, video, thematic workshop - production of toys: Jaguar Game, Shuttlecock and Spinning Top with recyclable materials and production of a short text by students. Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed that the study contributed to the fields of environmental and intercultural education, by showing that indigenous recreational practices, toys such as shuttlecocks, spinning tops and jaguar games, are still part of the daily lives of non-indigenous children. Research Implications: The implications of this research cover several areas, promoting the appreciation of traditional indigenous knowledge in the school curriculum, while at the same time innovating the pedagogical practices of Environmental Education with the use of games and games. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by integrating traditional indigenous knowledge and 3MP methodologies in the teaching of Environmental Education, promoting sustainable practices in an inclusive and culturally rich way.

Autophagy-Mediated Targeted Protein Degradation.

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved turnover process in eukaryotes, mediating the delivery of various cellular components to lysosomes for degradation and facilitating the recycling of the breakdown products to maintain homeostasis. By harnessing this powerful autophagy-lysosomal degradation system, strategies for targeted protein degradation (TPD) have been emerging to remove specific disease-related proteins (both intracellular and cell-surface proteins) for complete elimination of their functions, bringing new insights to drug discovery. Herein, we give a brief introduction on how autophagy works followed by a focus on available small-molecule and macromolecule-based strategies for TPD mediated by autophagy.

The Effect of Awe on Willingness to Pay for Construction Waste Recycled Products: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

The development of the construction industry has generated a large amount of construction waste, and resource utilization of construction waste is an effective means of recycling. However, such recycled construction waste products still lack market competitiveness and recognition. Consumers’ psychological activities are often influenced by emotions, and the sense of awe plays an important role in green consumption. This study aims to investigate how the sense of awe affects consumers’ willingness to pay for construction waste recycled products. The study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) with a willingness-to-pay task paradigm for experiments, which aims to reveal how different types of awe affect willingness to pay for construction waste recycled products. The behavioral results showed that two conditions effectively induced awe and enhanced consumers’ willingness to pay, but the difference between nature awe and social awe was not significant. The neural activation results showed significant activation in the inferior prefrontal gyrus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In particular, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity was significantly enhanced in the social awe condition. The functional connectivity results showed that, compared to the control condition experiment, the awe condition experiment triggered stronger functional connectivity. Therefore, exploring the effect of awe on the willingness to pay for construction waste recycled products can provide a basis reference for companies to develop marketing strategies and corporate pricing and promote the promotion and application of construction waste recycled products in the market.

Linking regional MFA models: Understanding disparities within the global zinc cycle

AbstractCircular economy and criticality assessments require comprehensive monitoring of anthropogenic material flows and stocks at a regional level. Therefore, this study presents a multiregional trade‐linked dynamic MFA model for zinc. The model covers the entire life cycle from mining to recycling for the regions China, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia. The dynamic approach allows the analysis of the development of the cycles from 1995 to 2020. The interregional trade is quantified at each life cycle stage by using the Comtrade database. Sensitivity analysis is applied to account for uncertainties in the exogenous data. The results reveal large regional disparities in the zinc industry. While China shows enormous growth, Europe has already reached a steady state in zinc consumption and anthropogenic stock. The current global consumption is strongly driven by China, leading to a strong increase of its zinc stock in use. However, Europe has the largest zinc stock in use, especially on a per capita basis. North America's zinc consumption is decoupled from its economic growth, as evidenced by the recent decline in its zinc stock in use. In terms of recycling, Europe shows the highest volumes and the best circular performance, as indicated by high recycling rates, partly due to the extensive use of more easily recyclable product types. In all regions, there is potential for increased recycling by treatment of zinc‐bearing steelmaking dusts. China's strict regulation successfully triggered large‐scale implementation of respective recovery processes, leading to increasing recycling rates. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

Recycled PET Packaging Materials of Improved Toughness— Importance of Devitrification of the Rigid Amorphous Fraction

AbstractDegradation, a common problem faced during the processing of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), leads to significant embrittlement of the products, as a result of which the material loses its applicability. Increased crystallization rate of the short chains of recycled PET and obstructed mobility of the amorphous phase are the main causes of enhanced brittleness. In this research, a straightforward method is proposed for improving the toughness of recycled PET products, namely the devitrification of the rigid amorphous phase by thermal annealing, which results in enhanced molecular mobility in the amorphous fraction, thereby promoting ductile deformation. The effects of thermal annealing conditions are comprehensively evaluated on the microstructure and macroscopic properties, i.e., impact resistance, of recycled PET films. The perforation energy value of the recycled PET film is found to increase to its threefold, reaching a value higher than 18 J mm−1, as a result of 10 s thermal treatment at 120 °C. Differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analyses, and thermally stimulated depolarization current measurements provide evidence for the devitrification of the rigid amorphous fraction under these conditions, which is the key to efficient enhancement in toughness.

Adaptive laboratory evolution and genetic engineering improved terephthalate utilization in Pseudomonas putida KT2440.

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is one of the most ubiquitous plastics and can be depolymerized through biological and chemo-catalytic routes to its constituent monomers, terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG). TPA and EG can be re-synthesized into PET for closed-loop recycling or microbially converted into higher-value products for open-loop recycling. Here, we expand on our previous efforts engineering and applying Pseudomonas putida KT2440 for PET conversion by employing adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) to improve TPA catabolism. Three P. putida strains with varying degrees of metabolic engineering for EG catabolism underwent an automation-enabled ALE campaign on TPA, a TPA and EG mixture, and glucose as a control. ALE increased the growth rate on TPA and TPA-EG mixtures by 4.1- and 3.5-fold, respectively, in approximately 350 generations. Evolved isolates were collected at the midpoints and endpoints of 39 independent ALE experiments, and growth rates were increased by 0.15 and 0.20 h-1 on TPA and a TPA-EG, respectively, in the best performing isolates. Whole-genome re-sequencing identified multiple converged mutations, including loss-of-function mutations to global regulators gacS, gacA, and turA along with large duplication and intergenic deletion events that impacted the heterologously-expressed tphABII catabolic genes. Reverse engineering of these targets confirmed causality, and a strain with all three regulators deleted and second copies of tphABII and tpaK displayed improved TPA utilization compared to the base strain. Taken together, an iterative strain engineering process involving heterologous pathway engineering, ALE, whole genome sequencing, and genome editing identified five genetic interventions that improve P. putida growth on TPA, aimed at developing enhanced whole-cell biocatalysts for PET upcycling.

Analysis of critical raw materials policy for electrical and electronic equipment: Planning for a truly circular economy

The European Union's objectives under the Green and Digital transitions, are contingent on the decarbonisation of essential sectors such as energy, transportation, and communications. At present, the EU does not have sufficient identified mineral resources, nor processing capacity, to supply many of its strategically defined materials. The success of these objectives hinges on the EU's ability to secure a stable and consistent supply of critical raw materials (CRM). Using a systematic three-part assessment of mandated and non-mandated EU policies, European Commission communications, and a review of CRM, the findings reveal that despite efforts to enhance local supply and diversify foreign sources of CRM, there is a lack of cross-sector coherence across social, economic, and technical aspects of recycling. This is further exacerbated by inefficient retention of waste-hosted critical raw materials. Failure to adopt integrative policy measures may result in the EU's continued dependency on undiversified foreign sources for its supply of critical raw materials, thereby compromising its strategic autonomy as well as the goals of the Green and Digital transitions. Improved design of electrical and electronic equipment and processing of waste from these products could conceivably provide a mechanism for a continuous and retained supply of critical raw materials, culminating in a potentially significant resource stream for the Union. The EU can improve resource efficiency, reduce its dependence on imports, and facilitate a truly circular economy by adopting a comprehensive and symbiotic policy framework that quantifies material resources in waste and that recognises the product design stage as an integral facet of the product recycling stage, herein referred to as “forwardcycling”.

Diversification of Waste Ship Mooring Rope Recycling Products as an Effort to Increase the Economic Welfare of the Polewali Mandar "Samboyang" Rope Processing Business Group

The Samboyang Rope Processing Business Group in Babarura Village is the main partner in this activity. Carrying out pelpangang activities in the traditional way using a manual rolling tool. This has implications for the quality of the rope, the time it takes to make anchor ropes. Apart from that, Tinambung sub-district is the only business The largest anchor rope spinner in West Sulawesi. Apart from that, there has been no innovation in diversifying the forms of products produced from processing anchor ship mooring ropes, until now they have only been used as fishing aids or ship ties, and in the economic marketing and digital bookkeeping sectors. needs to be implemented. Then through a community service program carried out according to the needs of the Samboyang Rope Processing Business Group to increase group productivity. In addition, product diversification from ship mooring rope processing provides new opportunities for the group to increase the added value of their products, marketing training and digital bookkeeping, opening up opportunities for the Samboyang rope processing business group to be competitive in a wider market.

Reducing/Recycling Product Packaging Materials and Implementing Sustainable Development Goal Initiatives in Orthopedic Artificial Joint Manufacturing and Sales Companies: A Questionnaire-Based Survey.

Background and objective Orthopedic surgery, particularly joint replacement, involves the use of many implants, resulting in a large amount of product packaging waste. To date, no study has surveyed artificial joint manufacturers on the recycling and reduction of packaging materials and their Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) initiatives. This questionnaire survey aimed to identify the current status of orthopedic artificial joint manufacturers in terms of implementing SDG initiatives. Material and methods The questionnaire survey involved 16 companies that sell artificial joints in Japan. Thequestionnaire prepared on a Google Form was sent to the persons in charge of each company and their answers were analyzed. Questions were asked about raw materials for packaging materials, display of the recycling symbols on packaging materials, attachment of paper instruction manuals, disposing and recycling of unused artificial joint prosthesis products and old surgical instruments, each company's efforts to reduce the amount of packaging materials, and the corporate structure and commitments to the SDGs of each company. Results Fourteen companies responded to the questionnaires (response rate: 85.7%). Paper, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate were found to be the common packaging materials. The recycle symbol display rates on packaging materials were as low as 14%, except for the plastic containers (43%). Paper instruction manualsenclosed with products are being phased out, and instruction manuals will now be available electronically. Recycling of unused products and their packaging materials at the time of disposal was insufficient. Similarly, recycling of old surgical instruments at disposal was insufficient, as were manufacturers' efforts to reduce product packaging materials. Only six (43%) and eight companies (57%) were working to reduce the use of paper and plastic packaging materials, respectively. However, some manufacturers have made efforts to design their products to reduce the amount of paper and plastics used as much as possible from the early stage of the product development process. The number of staff in charge of SDGs in Japan is small, whether in Japanese or foreign companies and specialized or integrated enterprises. When the headquarters of foreign companies were included, the number was relatively large. Regarding external consultants and advisors onSDGs, there were none in the country, and only four companies, including those with overseas headquarters, have contracted consultants. Though eight companies disseminated their general sustainability information on their websites, only two companies had web pages describing their current status and future plans for reducing the amount of packaging materials used in prosthetic joint products. Conclusions At present, the rate of display of recycling symbols on the packaging materials of joint prosthesis products is low. Although there are differences among manufacturers, the rates of reducing/recycling packaging materials and recycling unused products and old surgical instruments at disposal are generally insufficient. There is little human-resource investment in the SDGs, especially in Japan. Though most companies furnished information on their websites regarding sustainability in general, few companies specifically provided information on the reduction of materials used in product packaging.

Chemical recycling of polystyrene resin and its single-used products via nitric acid oxidation: Mechanisms and effects of other plastic contaminations

Polystyrene (PS) is a widely used plastic, especially in single-use items, leading to a large accumulation of waste and serious environmental problems. A promising solution to this is an advanced recycling process to circularly use the material. In this study, the chemical recycling of PS resin (GP110) and commercial PS products via nitric acid oxidation is investigated. In addition, the effects of HDPE, PP, and PVC as contaminants in PS on the reaction mechanisms and product compositions are examined. Small-scaled reactions at 150–190 °C in a 50 mL hydrothermal autoclave revealed that GP110 is oxidized and mostly converted to benzoic acid (BA), 4-nitrobenzoic acid (4NB), and 3-nitrobenzoic acid (3NB) with a reaction time shorter than 8 h. The conversion of BA to 3NB is more favorable at high temperatures. The reactions at 170 °C for 4 h on commercial PS products, i.e., spoons, boxes, and cups, led to a much lower carbon recovery (∼24–29 %) than GP110 resin (∼42 %). A reaction time shorter than 4 h is required to reduce carbon loss, as these products are fabricated from lower molar mass PS. The oxidation of SB as a model PS waste in a larger scaled reaction, i.e., a 250 mL hydrothermal reactor, is used to assess the feasibility of applying the process for chemical recycling of PS waste. The processes (at 170 and 180 °C for 3 h) provided 53–80 % carbon recovery. The suitable ratios of solid to aqueous solution (0.23 g/mL nitric) and PS to nitric acid are in the range of ∼1/12 to 1/16 g/mL and 1/2.8 to 1/4.2 g/g, respectively, depending on the reaction conditions and the pressure limitation of the reactor. Concerning PS waste contaminated with other plastics, the results suggest that contamination with PP should be avoided in depolymerizing PS, as this can cause adverse effects, especially excessively built-up pressure in the system due to the generation of excess gaseous products.

Enhancing end-of-life product recyclability through modular design and social engineering optimiser

Amidst the thriving landscape of manufacturing, the vision of sustainability in Industry 5.0 is becoming increasingly significant. The implementation of recycling represents a crucial step in the pursuit of sustainability, particularly in light of the mounting challenge posed by the proliferation of end-of-life (EOL) products. Addressing this challenge, we propose a novel Design for Modular Recyclability (DFMR) approach aimed at facilitating the recycling of EOL products. Our study develops a multi-objective optimisation model with a focus on maximising green recyclability and independence while minimising aggregation. We introduce an innovative Social Engineering Optimiser (SEO) to simulate behavioural patterns in complex environments, aiding in identifying and implementing effective strategies for optimal or near-optimal results in diverse scenarios. The practical effectiveness of the proposed models and algorithms is demonstrated by applying them to a real-life case study in an internal combustion engine, followed by performance comparisons with existing well-established multi-objective optimisation algorithms. The findings of our study demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed DFMR model, offering a novel approach for decision-makers to undertake EOL product recovery. This contributes to the further exploration of complex and promising paths towards sustainable manufacturing and green production that are more in line with Industry 5.0.

Direct Recycling of Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries at Room Temperature and Pressure in Aqueous Media

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have emerged as an indispensable power source, driving innovations across a range of sectors, including consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy deployment. However, the exponential growth in LIB demand has paralleled concerns regarding their end-of-life management. Key characteristics of spent LIBs include capacity fading due to repeated charge and discharge processes, loss of lithium inventory, and chemo-mechanical degradation of crystalline lattice in cathode active material. Pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy, the most prominent methods of LIB recycling, indirectly extract only critical metals from spent batteries but require significant energy inputs, use of harsh chemicals, and suboptimal operating conditions only to recover metal salts and require future resynthesis of the cathode active material. Direct recycling, an alternative to these process-intensive methods, allows for the regeneration of cathode active material with its structure and morphology intact, thereby conserving valuable resources directly from spent batteries and minimizing the need for extensive processing of recycled material and waste product. Solid-state sintering and thermal relithiation have recently gained traction as direct recycling alternatives, but they operate at relatively high temperature and pressure, which translates to high process intensity at scale.This presentation will discuss the effectiveness of a novel direct recycling method for LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 (NMC 532), a common cathode active material widely used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. The process restores the structure and capacity of spent NMC 532 via a reduction and relithiation mechanism at standard temperature and pressure using an inorganic solution in aqueous media. The solution effectively reduces transition metals in the cathode to their original oxidation states, restores lithium vacancies that have accumulated through battery cycling, and reverses degradation of the crystalline lattice. Unlike typical solution-based direct recycling methods, this process does not require input of energy for the reaction to proceed and can be carried out in ambient operating conditions with minimal waste byproducts. Carrying out this one-step process on spent NMC 532 produces cathode active material that is identical in crystalline structure to its pristine counterpart, as validated by x-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization while galvanostatic cycling of regenerated cathode further demonstrates the restoration of peak performance capacity. The effects of water on the cathode material surface are studied to gain an understanding of electrode recycling efficiency in aqueous conditions. This study is the first to successfully implement direct recycling of NMC 532 at room temperature and pressure in aqueous media. The ambient reaction conditions and use of water as primary solvent eliminates the need for energy input and minimizes the extensive use of harmful solvents that result in toxic waste. The efficacy of this approach renders it scalable and more sustainable as a long-term solution to the management of end-of-life batteries.

Surface wettability of lignin materials from supercritical water hydrolysis of wood

To meet the demands of the evolving circular economy, there is a growing need for renewable resources as base materials for innovative, easily recyclable products. Lignin, the second most abundant biopolymer, has emerged as a promising source of aromatics and reinforcing agent in polymer composites. For the successful manufacturing of homogeneous composite materials, good bonding between the coexisting phases is essential to prevent the formation of voids and agglomerates. Therefore, understanding the surface properties of these materials is crucial for designing optimal composite compounds. In this study, the wettability of lignin-cellulose composites and lignin samples obtained through supercritical water hydrolysis (SCWH) of birch wood is investigated. The contact angle (CA) technique, specifically the sessile drop method, was employed to assess and compare the wettability of SCWH lignin with commercially available lignin and raw birch wood. The results provide insights into their surface energy, adhesion, and hydrophilic or hydrophobic characteristics under processing conditions. All samples exhibited hydrophilicity, with an initial CA approximately 40 °, except for raw birch wood, which had a higher initial CA of ∼ 64°. Notably, when lignin is accompanied by significant amounts of cellulose, different trends in CA changes over time were observed. The influence of pressure on the CA between water and these polymers was also analyzed, but no significant impact was detected. This research advances the development of lignin-based materials with tailored surface properties for various industrial applications.

Analysis on Degradation Mechanism and Product Recycle of Ex-service Wind Turbine Blades by Hydrothermal Liquefaction.

The recycling of ex-service wind turbine blades (EWTBs) presents a significant challenge for the future. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) has emerged as a promising approach for the recovery of resins and glass fibers (GFs) from EWTBs. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the separation mechanisms and product characteristics under the catalytic effect of an acidic medium during the HTL tests. The primary factors were identified as hydrothermal temperature and H2SO4 concentration. The acidic medium facilitated disruption of the resin's structure by supplying hydronium ions, while temperature played a crucial role in determining the yield of oil-phase products. Operating conditions of 280 °C and 0.6 mol/L H2SO4 resulted in an oil-phase yield of 98.2%. The cleavage of cross-linked C-N and C-O-C bonds reacted with hydrogen ions to produce stable compounds, primarily phenol and p-cumyl alcohol. Based on these findings, two distinct mechanisms of resin depolymerization were proposed, depending on the sequential cleavage of C-O-C and C(benzene ring)-C(isopropyl) bonds. Intermediates, including bisphenol A and 2-propanol,1,3-diphenoxy-, were generated. They further decomposed into smaller units, eventually forming phenol. Moreover, temperature was found to be a critical factor in determining the strength of recycled glass fibers (RGFs). The optimal conditions of 260 °C and 0.6 mol/L H2SO4 concentration were identified as being capable of achieving complete resin depolymerization while preserving high-strength RGFs. These innovative findings provide valuable insights into the development of low-temperature, high-efficiency methods for the full-component recovery of EWTBs, offering significant guidance for future recycling efforts.

Preparation of hemp‐based biocomposites and their potential industrial application

AbstractBiocomposites are an emerging field in plastic industry. The incorporation of agri‐food waste in conventional or biobased polymer matrices allows the industry to lessen its carbon footprint, while producing recyclable plastic products. In this work, hemp hurd, a byproduct of hemp fiber production process, was used as a filler to prepare novel compostable composites in two different loadings (22% and 32% w/w respectively). Waste hemp hurds were selected due to their abundance and the lack of derived high‐value products. Three different polymers were used, namely poly[(tetramethyleneadipate)‐co‐(tetramethyleneterephthalate)] (PBAT) and poly(tetramethylene succinate) (PBS) as compostable polymers and a polyethylene elastomer for comparison. The bare polymers and prepared blends were then characterized for their structure and morphology by XRD and FESEM, as well as for their wettability, thermal and mechanical properties (namely energy absorbed on impact and flexural modulus). Structural and morphological characterization unveiled the different interactions occurring between hemp and the polymer matrices, suggesting the major impact of the type of used polymer when compared with biomass loading percentages. Mechanical tests showed that both PBAT and PBS blends properties are comparable to those of the pure polymers (i.e., in the case of PBAT the flexural modulus of the pure polymer was 82.2 MPa while the hemp‐loaded blends stood at around 50 MPa, whereas all PBS polymers and blends were 220 MPa, with no statistical difference between samples). These biomaterials have also similar thermal properties with respect to the bare polymers, underlining the promising potential as sustainable alternative to pure polymers.Highlights Waste hemp hurds were used to load biodegradable polymers at different percentages. Hemp hurd‐based biomaterials with excellent properties were prepared. Polymer flexural behavior was maintained even after hemp addition. Polymer‐hemp interactions for each polymeric matrix were elucidated. Hemp substitutes up to 32% w/w of polymer without affecting its properties.

Investigation of nano-basic oxygen furnace slag and nano-banded iron formation on properties of high-performance geopolymer concrete

Abstract Geopolymers have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional cement-based composites, offering enhanced sustainability and opportunities for recycling industrial waste. The incorporation of waste materials into the binding matrix of geopolymer concrete not only promotes environmental benefits but also significantly improves the overall performance, including mechanical strength, durability, and microstructural integrity of the matrix. This study explores the impact of incorporating varying dosages of nano-basic oxygen furnace slag (NBOFS) and nano-banded iron formation (NBIF) on the properties of high-performance geopolymer concrete (HPGC) that utilizes waste glass as 50% fine aggregate. The research focuses on evaluating both the fresh and mechanical properties, including compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and flexural strength. Additionally, this study investigated the transport properties of concrete under aggressive environments, such as resistance to chloride penetration, sulfate attack, and sorptivity. The microstructure was examined using scanning electron microscopy. The results demonstrated that the addition of 3% NBOFS and 2.5% NBIF significantly improved the fresh, mechanical, and transport properties of HPGC. These nanomaterials also enhance the splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and elastic modulus under highly aggressive environmental conditions. The contribution of these nanomaterials to the strength and durability of concrete is particularly relevant in the construction of both substructures and superstructures. Additionally, geopolymer concrete significantly reduces CO2 emissions by eliminating the requirement for ordinary Portland cement and promoting the recycling of waste products, contributing to more environmentally friendly construction practices.

Mechanochemically Transforming Waste Ceramic Capacitors into Self-Doped BaTiO3 Photocatalysts: An Efficient Approach for High-Value E-waste Recycling and Hydrogen Production

Mechanochemically Transforming Waste Ceramic Capacitors into Self-Doped BaTiO₃ Photocatalysts: An Efficient Approach for High-Value E-waste Recycling and Hydrogen Production

Simulation study on heavy metals, phthalate esters, and organic halogens: Content and distribution characteristics during waste paper recycling.

Imported waste paper and recycled pulp may contain pollutants, posing potential environmental risks to the ecosystem of China. This study examined the presence and distribution patterns of heavy metals, phthalate esters (PAEs), and adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) in recycled pulp and production wastewater after various recycling processes of three typical restricted types of imported waste paper. The results indicated that the concentration ranges of heavy metals, PAEs, and AOX in the three types of imported recycled waste paper were 21.61-40.38mg/kg, 15.35-27.88mg/kg, and 19.21-57.72mg/kg, respectively. The comparative analysis with the initial waste paper demonstrated a reduction in heavy metal content in the recycled pulp by 17.80-49.75%, PAEs by 65.42-90.55%, and AOX by 32.80-42.34%. The average concentrations of these pollutants in wastewater were 0.85-1.66mg/L, 27.28-59.86mg/L, and 1.15-3.34mg/L, respectively. Chromium and lead were identified as the primary heavy metals present in the waste paper. Following pulping, No. 1 and No. 2 met the arsenic and lead levels specified in the "Reuse Fiber Pulp" standard (GB/T24320-2021), whereas No. 3 met these criteria after de-inking only. The main PAEs detected in the waste paper were dibutyl phthalate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, most of which were removed during the pulping stage. Significantly higher levels of AOX were observed in No. 2 and No. 3 than in No. 1, with a minimal impact on AOX removal from the pulp during the recycling process.