Wax from Pyrolysis of Waste Plastics as a Potential Source of Phase Change Material for Thermal Energy Storage

Over the past half-century, plastic consumption has grown rapidly due to its versatility, low cost, and unrivaled functional properties. Among the diff erent implemented strategies for recycling waste plastics, pyrolysis is deemed the most economical option. Currently, the wax obtained from the pyrolysis of waste plastics is mainly used as a feedstock to manufacture chemicals and fuels or added to asphalt for pavement construction, with no other applications of wax being reported. Herein, the thermal pyrolysis of three common waste polyolefin plastics: high-density polyethylene(HDPE), low-density polyethylene(LDPE), and polypropylene(PP), was conducted at 450 ℃. The waste plastics-derived waxes were characterized and studied for a potential new application: phase change materials(PCMs) for thermal energy storage(TES). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis showed that paraffin makes up most of the composition of HDPE and LDPE waxes, whereas PP wax contains a mixture of naphthene, isoparaffin, olefin, and paraffin. Diff erential scanning calorimetry(DSC) analysis indicated that HDPE and LDPE waxes have a peak melting temperature of 33.8 ℃ and 40.3 ℃, with a relatively high latent heat of 103.2 J/g and 88.3 J/g, respectively, whereas the PP wax was found to have almost negligible latent heat. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and DSC results revealed good chemical and thermal stability of HDPE and LDPE waxes after 100 cycles of thermal cycling. Performance evaluation of the waxes was also conducted using a thermal storage pad to understand their thermoregulation characteristics for TES applications.

Recycling Carbon Resources from Waste PET to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emission:Carbonization Technology Review and Perspective

Greenhouse gas emissions from waste plastics have caused global warming all over the world,which has been a central threat to the ecological environment for humans,flora and fauna.Among waste plastics,waste polyethylene terephthalate(PET)is attractive due to its excellent stability and degradation-resistant.Therefore,merging China’s carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals would be beneficial.In this review,we summarize the current state-of-the-art of carbon emission decrease from a multi-scale perspective technologically.We suggest that the carbon peak for waste PET can be achieved by employing the closed-loop supply chain,including recycling,biomass utilization,carbon capture and utilization.Waste PET can be a valuable and renewable resource in the whole life cycle.Undoubtedly,all kinds of PET plastics can be ultimately converted into CO_(2),which can also be feedstock for various kinds of chemical products,including ethyl alcohol,formic acid,soda ash,PU,starch and so on.As a result,the closed-loop supply chain can help the PET plastics industry drastically reduce its carbon footprint.

Multi-Component Resource Recycling from Waste Light-Emitting Diode Under Hydrothermal Condition:Plastic Package Degradation,Speciation of Nano-TiO_(2),and Environmental Impact Assessment

Light emitting diodes(LEDs)have accounted for most of the lighting market as the technology matures and costs continue to reduce.As a new type of e-waste,LED is a double-edged sword,as it contains not only precious and rare metals but also organic packaging materials.In previous studies,LED recycling focused on recovering precious and strategic metals while ignoring harmful substances such as organic packaging materials.Unlike crushing and other traditional methods,hydrothermal treatment can provide an environment-friendly process for decomposing packaging materials.This work developed a closed reaction vessel,where the degradation rate of plastic polyphthalamide(PPA)was close to 100%,with nano-TiO_(2)encapsulated in plastic PPA being efficiently recovered,while metals contained in LED were also recycled efficiently.Besides,the role of water in plastic PPA degradation that has been overlooked in current studies was explored and speculated in detail in this work.Environmental impact assessment revealed that the proposed recycling route for waste LED could significantly reduce the overall environmental impact compared to the currently published processes.Especially the developed method could reduce more than half the impact of global warming.Furthermore,this research provides a theoretical basis and a promising method for recycling other plastic-packaged e-waste devices,such as integrated circuits.

MOF synthesis using waste PET for applications of adsorption, catalysis and energy storage

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as one of non-degradable wastes has become a huge threat to the environment and human health.Chemical Recycle of PET is a sustainable way to release 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (BDC) the monomer of PET as common used organiclinker for synthesis of functional Metal–organic-frameworks (PET-derived MOFs) such as UiO-66, MIL-101, etc. This sustainable and costeffective“Waste-to-MOFs” model is of great significant to be intensively investigated in the past years. Attributes of substantial porosity, specificsurface area, exposed metal centers, uniform structure, and flexible morphology render PET-derived MOFs are well-suited for applications inadsorption, energy storage, catalysis, among others. Herein, in the present work, we have summarized recent advances in synthesis of PETderived MOFs using ex-situ and in-situ methods for typical applications of adsorption, catalysis and energy storage. Despite those improvementsin synthesis methods and potential applications, challenges still remain in development of green and economical routes to fully utilize waste PETfor massive manufacture of valuable MOF materials and chemicals. This review provides insights into the conversion of non-degradable PETwaste to value-added MOF materials, and further suggests promising perspectives to develop the sustainable “Waste-to-MOFs” model inaddressing environmental pollution and energy crises.

Impact of Plastic Waste on the Human Health in Low-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

Background: Plastic pollution is the accumulation of waste composed of plastic and its derivatives all over the environment. Whether in the form of visible garbage or microparticles, as it slowly degrades, plastic pollution poses significant threats to terrestrial and aquatic habitats and the wildlife that call them home, whether through ingestion, entanglement or exposure to the chemicals contained in the material. Unfortunately, there is a lack of documentation on the impact of plastic waste on human health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: We searched five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Global Health, CINAHL and Web of Science) and gray literature, following the preferred reporting elements for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), for the impact of plastic waste on human health in developing countries. We included quantitative and qualitative studies written in English and French. We assessed the quality of the included articles using the Mixed Methods Appraisal tool (MMAT). Results: A total of 3779 articles were initially identified by searching electronic databases. After eliminating duplicates, 3167 articles were reviewed based on title and abstract, and 26 were selected for full-text review. Only three articles were retained. The three articles dealt with practices likely to lead to oral exposure to plastic chemicals in human health, as well as the level of awareness of participants concerning the possible impact of plastic on human health, namely, the use of plastic baby bottles, the use of microwaves to cook food and reheat precooked food, the use of plastic bottles to store water in the refrigerator, water purifier containers with plastic bodies and plastic lunch boxes, the reuse of plastic bags and the inadequacy of treatment facilities. Conclusion: Plastic waste poses different risks to human health at every stage of its life cycle. Hence, strategies must be adopted to raise public awareness of the dangers of plastic waste to their health. Trial registration: The review protocol is registered in the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews (ID = CRD42023409087).

Toxicological and Life-Cycle Perspectives on Waste-Derived Nanoparticles

Many nanoparticles have been created over the last few decades using a variety of techniques and used to develop environmental technology, including water treatment, the detection of persistent contaminants, and soil and water remediation. The studies of alternative inputs for nanoparticle production as well as the use of green synthesis techniques are driven by the field of materials science and engineering’s growing interest in increasing the sustainability of the processes involved in their production. In this paper, we begin by providing an overview of the fundamental principles of producing nanoparticles from different sources, such as plastic, electronic, metal, and industrial waste. We elaborate on key facts of waste identification as a workable input for the treatment and recovery of metal and carbon-based nanoparticles. We next go over several controlling factors that play a role in creating nanoparticles, pointing out probable conclusions as we go. Then, we show some instances of waste-derived nanoparticles used in a proof-of-concept experiment of technology for applications in water quality and safety. Before scaling up production and implementing waste-derived nanoparticles, there are several present problems from the toxicological and life-cycle perspectives that must be taken into account.

Review of recycling waste plastics in asphalt paving materials

An ever-growing demand for depleted natural resources is one of the significant challenges facing the global asphalt pavement industry in building and maintaining global asphalt pavements.Because plastics are ubiquitous in the global economy,they are the latest in a series of high-profile materials to attract attention.Their low material recovery rates and the environmental impact of current disposal methods pose a threat to plastic recycling.Recycling plastic wastes in asphalt pavement is a possible approach to reducing environmental pressure and the demand for depleted natural resources.Many studies have proposed recycling plastic waste in asphalt pavement using dry-and wet-processed technologies.This review aims to comprehensively evaluate the feasibility of various recycled plastics in asphalt pavement concerning the properties of compatibility,storage stability,microstructure,thermo-rheology,and mechanical performance and to identify hallenges and recommendations for the future.This review discusses recent developments and the feasibility of using plastic wastes as modifiers or additives to asphalt binders or asphalt mixtures in dry and wet processes,focusing on different materials from waste streams,how to produce such modified materials,and the characteristics of plastic waste modified asphalt,thus contributing to the sustainable management of resources and production of useful paving materials.

Studies on Feasibility of Reverse Osmosis (Membrane) Technology for Treatment of Tannery Wastewater

Tanneries reusing wastewater by combination of conventional and advanced Reverse Osmosis (RO) treatment technologies were assessed for technical and economic viabilities. Conventional treatment methods such as neutralization, clari-flocculation and biological processes are followed to clean the effluents before feeding to RO membrane modules. The characteristics of untreated composite effluents such as pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and total chromium were in the range of 4.00-4.60, 680-3600 mg/L, 1698-7546 mg/L, 980-1480 mg/L, 4200-14500 mg/L, and 26.4-190 mg/L, respectively. Inorganic ions like Ca2+, Na+, Cl– and SO42– were found more in the wastewaters. Conventional treatments significantly removed the organic pollutants however failed to remove dissolved inorganic salts. Membrane technology removed the salts as well as remaining organic pollutants and the product water is reused in the process. The studied tanneries (5 numbers) have achieved 93-98%, 92-99% and 91-96% removal of TDS, sodium and chloride, respectively. Seventy to eighty five percentage of wastewater was recovered and recycled in the industrial processes. The rejects are subject to either solar evaporation system or Multiple Effect Evaporation (MEE) technology. The resulting salts are collected in polythene bags and disposed into scientifically managed secured land fill (SLF) site. The cost of wastewater treatment for operation and maintenances of RO including the pre-treatments (conventional methods) is INR 100-110 m-3.

Preliminary study on treatment of waste organic matter from livestock by bacteria-mineral technology

The present study dealt with relationships between the degradation and humification process that the organic matter underwent during bacteria-mineral technology. An inverse correlation was found between the protein, lipid, and some of the humification indices considered, suggesting that the humification theory is actually humic substances produced from simple-structured natural organic substrates. Weight-average molecular weight （Mw）, number-average molecular weight （Mn）, and the ratio Mw/Mn of dissolved organic matters at different stages of the process were measured by gel permeation chromatography. The results showed that Mn and Mw increased with reaction time from 352 to 17,191, and from 78,707 to 104,564, respectively. The ratio of Mn/Mw decreased from 223.3 to 6.1. This reflected the growth of the polymerization degree of dissolvable organic matters in the process; furthermore, it indicated the formation of complex molecules （humic substances） from more simple molecules. Bacteria-mineral water （BMW） （the effluent of the process） treatments can exert hormone-like activity for enhanced seed germination of wheat and rice and greatly improved chlorophyll synthesis in wheat and rice leaves, Major polyamines （plant regulators） putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, were found in BMW by a high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） method, which may explain the hormone-like activity of BMW.

Toys, Décor, and More: Evidence of Hazardous Electronic Waste Recycled into New Consumer Products

Hazardous chemicals used in electronic and electrical consumer products can re-enter commerce when these products are recycled. The objectives of this study were to 1) identify the possible sources of unexpected chemicals and elements in consumer products, including the use of recycled E-waste plastics and 2) demonstrate bromine detection with nondestructive spectroscopy as an indicator of brominated flame retardants contaminating new products via recycled waste streams. More than 1500 consumer products of diverse types purchased in 2012-2014 were examined using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for correlations between bromine and other elements. New electronic products were much more likely than new non-electronics to contain greater than 1000 ppm bromine, consistent with intentionally added flame retardants, while non- electronic products were more likely to contain between 5 and 100 ppm bromine, suggesting unintentional contamination. A typical suite of elements present in E-waste was found in a majority of plastic products. Two product categories, vinyl floor tiles and beaded necklaces/garlands, were explored in more detail. Specific flame retardant chemicals in bead samples were identified by mass spectrometry and their distribution in beads was studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Five brominated chemicals typically used as flame retardants, including BDE-209, were identified in 50 of 50 Mardi Gras beads analyzed.

Comprehensive Recycling Technology of Waste Residues in Zinc Hydrometallurgy

In order to improve the refining effect of zinc ore and promote the development of this industry,taking the hydrometallurgical zinc smelting process as an example,this paper first establishes a model for the recycling of waste residues in the hydrometallurgical process,proposes optimization measures based on proven comprehensive recycling technology for purifying residues to obtain higher valuable metal recovery rate,and provides reference for those in relevant fields.

塑料废弃物的资源化利用研究进展

随着人们生活质量的提高,塑料制品的使用量不断上升,塑料废弃物日益增多.然而,由于废弃塑料的回收利用率低,因此塑料废弃物的管理及资源化利用成为了全球环境保护和可持续发展领域的重要课题.论文概述了塑料的特性与分类、来源与组成,综述了当前塑料废弃物的物理处理、化学处理及生物处理技术及不同处理方法的优势及缺陷;分析了塑料废弃物资源化利用技术先进案例;提出了加强塑料废弃物资源化利用的措施.

Evaluation of the Influence of Plastic Waste in Improving the Mechanical Characteristics of Asphalt Mixes (Senegal, West Africa)

The recovery of plastic waste has a positive impact on two fronts: The environment, through waste reduction, and the economy, through its use in road construction. This work involves recycling plastic variants such as Polypropylene (PP) 50% and LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) 50% in proportions of 2% to 8%, incorporated into a 0/14 BBSG. The results of the Marshall test gave stability values ranging from 826 to 1523 kg and creep values from 5.5 to 2.45 mm. The Duriez test gave r/R values ranging from 0.769 to 0.786, with water absorption percentages from 2.24% to 0.69%. The PCG test at 80 gyrations gave void percentages ranging from 11.9% to 5.23%. The rutting test gives a rutting depth percentage that drops at 30,000 cycles from 11.5% to 1.3%. This study shows a considerable increase in the mechanical characteristics of asphalt mixes by adding plastic waste.

Physicomechanical Properties of Sustainable Wood Plastic Composites of Tropical Sawdust and Thermoplastic Waste for Possible Utilization in the Wood Industry

This work investigated and quantified the physicomechanical properties of flat-pressed wood plastic composites produced with recycled polyethylene terephthalate, recycled polyethylene and sawdust derived from selected tropical timbers, namely, Nauclea diderrichii, Brachystegia eurycoma, Erythrophleum suaveolens and Prosopis africana, for possible utilization in the wood industry. The compounding of the polymer blends of the precursor plastics, namely recycled PET (rPET) and recycled PE (rPE) with the sawdust (SD) from the selected timbers to produce the desired wood rPET/rPE composites was carried out via the flat press method. The characterization of the physicomechanical properties of the wood plastic composites (WPCs) produced, such as the density, hardness, flexural strength, ultimate tensile strength, elongation %, thickness swelling and water absorption capacity was carried out using methods based mainly on the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) standards. The results of the investigation on the resultant composites indicated that changes in the SD content affected the density of flat-pressed WPCs in line with literature. Generally, it was observed that as wood dust increased and PET content decreased, the density of composites decreased with some deviations as expected probably due to the anisotropic nature of the wood fillers. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that there was a statistically significant variation in the wood composites of Nuclea diderichii based on the physicomechanical values as the p-value (0.020) obtained was less than the critical level of α = 0.05. It was also observed that the composite, Wood 1 Sample 5 (W1S5) which was composed of 40% rPE, 40% rPET and 20% SD (derived from Nuclea diderichii), had the highest percentage elongation (26.84%);the highest flexural strength (14.995 N/mm2) and possibly the least carbon footprint in the environment. These properties of W1S5 suggest that it could therefore be the best option for the production of building materials like ceiling boards or floor skirting in the wood plastic composite industry. The results of these investigations have therefore indicated that the fabrication of WPCs from sawdust and rPET/rPE was technically feasible and had prospects for large scale production in the wood industry.

3D打印环保混凝土的研究进展及发展趋势

探讨了将各类固体废弃物作为骨料、胶凝材料和纤维掺入混凝土制成可再生、可循环利用的绿色环保建筑材料的研究现状及进展,并对其制成的3D打印环保混凝土的可打印性、流变特性、可挤出性、可建造性、力学各向异性及耐久性作出评估和论证。

汽车用废弃塑料的再生利用

基于促进报废汽车再生利用,构建绿色产业体系的目的,本文综述了近年来汽车用废弃塑料的再生利用实例和技术演变。从回收分拣系统、提升汽车塑料的再生成分比例和再生塑料的技术研发三个方面提出优化对策,积极推动汽车塑料生产和使用源头减量、加快推进塑料废弃物规范回收、清运、利用和处置,加大塑料废弃物再生利用。在“双碳”目标决策部署下,再生资源具备显著减碳价值,成为市场空间广阔且尚未完全挖掘的蓝海赛道,把握住废弃塑料再生利用的经济机遇,对帮助我国汽车工业突破发展瓶颈同样关系重大。

废旧家电回收塑料的改性研究

使用回收洗衣机外壳塑料为主要原料,加入回收电视机外壳塑料进行共混改性,研究回收电视机外壳塑料加入量对共混料熔体流动速率(MFR)、拉伸性能、冲击性能的影响,确定最佳配料比。结果表明:回收洗衣机外壳塑料主要成分为聚丙烯(PP)、回收电视机外壳塑料主要成分为ABS树脂,二者相容性好,加工性能优异。加入回收电视机外壳塑料,可以提高回收洗衣机外壳塑料的强度和韧性。最佳配料比为回收电视机外壳塑料加入量为25%,此时共混料的MFR为0.17 g/10 min、抗拉强度达到25.71 MPa,断裂伸长率达到27.8%,冲击强度为18.94 kJ/m^(2)。

废弃塑料回收与转化的研究进展

综述了塑料在传统物理机械回收和当前研究热点化学升级转化的成果,重点对化学催化方法包括热催化、微波催化、生物催化、电催化、光催化等具有潜在应用前景的方法进行了阐述。系统介绍了化学升级转化塑料,特别是催化转化中核心催化剂的设计构筑、催化产物种类、产率和选择性的调控以及构效关系的机理揭示。此外,通过对比各类方法探讨了优缺点、总结了相关方法面临的问题。最后,基于目前废旧塑料回收存在的挑战和后期发展方向提出了建议,以期为废弃塑料回收为高附加值化学品提供理论指导。

上海市生活垃圾废塑料回收再利用现状及优化策略

在生活垃圾分类背景下上海市可回收物回收体系逐步完善,生活源废塑料回收再利用量获得极大提升。通过现场调研与统计资料分析,对当前上海市生活垃圾废塑料分类回收现状、再利用技术进行分析梳理,结果显示当前生活垃圾废塑料回收类别以PET、PP为主,分别占总回收量的45.3%和30.7%;另有近30%具有回收价值的废塑料未被回收,主要以PP和PET为主。在此基础上,提出需进一步完善分类回收标准与补贴政策、推动PET同级利用等回收技术创新、强化宣传教育与主体监管等优化策略,以期促进废塑料回收与再利用行业进一步发展。

从含钌废料中回收钌的研究进展

从铂族金属废料中回收再利用钌对于实现行业可持续发展、节约资源和环境保护都有着重大影响。钌废料一般包括含钌废催化剂、含钌合金材料、含钌核废料和其他含钌废料等。综述了不同钌废料的综合回收处理方法,分别介绍了氧化蒸馏法转化可溶性盐、熔融—还原—氧化法、熔融—氧化—蒸馏法、微波浸出—浊点萃取法、蒸馏—熔融—还原法、熔融—还原—氧化法、离子交换法、氧化挥发法、电解法、生物吸附法和物理吸附法等工艺,总结了现有钌废料回收技术的优缺点,并对未来钌废料回收工艺的发展方向进行了展望。