scholarly journals Monomers and Macromolecular Materials from Renewable Resources: State of the Art and Perspectives

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 159
Author(s):  
Alessandro Gandini ◽  
Talita M. Lacerda
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Renewable Resources ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The World ◽  
Polymer Industry ◽  
Near Future

A progressively increasing concern about the environmental impacts of the whole polymer industry has boosted the design of less aggressive technologies that allow for the maximum use of carbon atoms, and reduced dependence on the fossil platform. Progresses related to the former approach are mostly based on the concept of the circular economy, which aims at a thorough use of raw materials, from production to disposal. The latter, however, has been considered a priority nowadays, as short-term biological processes can efficiently provide a myriad of chemicals for the polymer industry. Polymers from renewable resources are widely established in research and technology facilities from all over the world, and a broader consolidation of such materials is expected in a near future. Herein, an up-to-date overview of the most recent and relevant contributions dedicated to the production of monomers and polymers from biomass is presented. We provide some basic issues related to the preparation of polymers from renewable resources to discuss ongoing strategies that can be used to achieve original polymers and systems thereof.

scholarly journals Transition to Circular Economy in the Fertilizer Sector—Analysis of Recommended Directions and End-Users’ Perception of Waste-Based Products in Poland

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4312
Author(s):  
Marzena Smol
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Economic Model ◽  
Social Acceptance ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
End Users ◽  
Survey Analysis ◽  
The Social ◽  
Sector Analysis ◽  
Art Analysis

Circular economy (CE) is an economic model, in which raw materials remain in circulation as long as possible and the generation of waste is minimized. In the fertilizer sector, waste rich in nutrients should be directed to agriculture purposes. This paper presents an analysis of recommended directions for the use of nutrient-rich waste in fertilizer sector and an evaluation of possible interest in this kind of fertilizer by a selected group of end-users (nurseries). The scope of research includes the state-of-the-art analysis on circular aspects and recommended directions in the CE implementation in the fertilizer sector (with focus on sewage-based waste), and survey analysis on the potential interest of nurseries in the use of waste-based fertilizers in Poland. There are more and more recommendations for the use of waste for agriculture purposes at European and national levels. The waste-based products have to meet certain requirements in order to put such products on the marker. Nurserymen are interested in contributing to the process of transformation towards the CE model in Poland; however, they are not fully convinced due to a lack of experience in the use of waste-based products and a lack of social acceptance and health risk in this regard. Further actions to build the social acceptance of waste-based fertilizers, and the education of end-users themselves in their application is required.

scholarly journals Value-Added Bio-Chemicals Commodities from Catalytic Conversion of Biomass Derived Furan-Compounds

Catalysts ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 895
Author(s):  
Aitziber Iriondo ◽  
Ion Agirre ◽  
Nerea Viar ◽  
Jesús Requies
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Resources ◽  
Petrochemical Industry ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Reaction Conditions ◽  
Potential Market ◽  
Forestry Residues ◽  
Industry Needs ◽  
Near Future

The depletion of fossil resources in the near future and the need to decrease greenhouse gas emissions lead to the investigation of using alternative renewable resources as raw materials. One of the most promising options is the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass (like forestry residues) into bioenergy, biofuels and biochemicals. Among these products, the production of intermediate biochemicals has become an important goal since the petrochemical industry needs to find sustainable alternatives. In this way, the chemical industry competitiveness could be improved as bioproducts have a great potential market. Thus, the main objective of this review is to describe the production processes under study (reaction conditions, type of catalysts, solvents, etc.) of some promising intermediate biochemicals, such as; alcohols (1,2,6-hexanetriol, 1,6-hexanetriol and pentanediols (1,2 and 1,5-pentanediol)), maleic anhydride and 5-alkoxymethylfuran. These compounds can be produced using 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and/or furfural, which they both are considered one of the main biomass derived building blocks.

scholarly journals The Use of SEM and Other Complimentary Techniques for the Determination of Properties of Cementitious Materials

1992 ◽  
Vol 00 (8) ◽  
pp. 4-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric A. Draper ◽  
Jan Skalny
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Cementitious Materials ◽  
Modern State ◽  
Microscopic Evaluation ◽  
The World ◽  
Cost Effect

The need for continued rehabilitation of our concrete infrastructure has lead to the adaptation of modern “state-of-the-art” analytical methods for the characterization of concrete and other cementitious materials. Some of these techniques have not, until relatively recently, been commonly associated with the evaluation of concrete but are very useful both as tools for quality assurance and in the determination of the extent of existing damage. The technique of interest here is the coordinated electron-optical microscopic evaluation of concrete.Concrete is the most widely used building material in the world. Contrary to popular belief, concrete is not inert but chemically very complex and dynamic. While it is true that, pound for pound, concrete and its raw materials (cement, aggregate and water} are the most inexpensive building materials available for construction, it is also true that it responds to its environment in numerous and sometimes very subtle ways. These responses may sometimes result in a loss of durability and tremendous amounts of time and money being expended while searching for the cause(s) of the problem and providing a cost-effect solution A quick survey of any large metropolitan area and the on-going construction repairs to highways and bridge decks there will quickly confirm this.

scholarly journals Middle East’s circular economy expectations for the next ten years

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dr.Firas Al Kufy
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
The World

This study provides an overview of waste management through circular economy in Middle East. Waste management has become a worldwide problem since humans are wasting resources as well as raw materials. This is the biggest problem faced by the humans on Earth that is getting attention of government representatives from all over the world. Recently, Middle East has also showed concerns regarding the amount of waste produced. Thus, several government representatives of Middle East have voiced their opinions and have taken an initiative to adopt this model. This article is based on the adoption of the model of circular economy in the countries of Middle East. This article explains the challenges that Middle East needs to be aware of for successful implementation of this model.

scholarly journals The Paradigm of Circular Economy in the Conditions of Ukraine

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (517) ◽  
pp. 13-20
Author(s):  
M. O. Varfolomieiev ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
State Level ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
The State ◽  
Business And Society ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World

The article is concerned with the topical issues of present – the principles and foundations of introduction of circular economy (CE). The article emphasizes that, despite the fact that the issue of introducing circular economy has already been widely covered in the scientific publications by domestic and foreign scholars, any strategy for the practical introduction of circular economy at the State level has not yet been formed. Thus, the publication is aimed at studying the key aspects and prerequisites for the introduction of circular economy within the Ukrainian terms. In accordance with this aim, the advantages and disadvantages of the introduction of circular economy in the world aspect are analyzed. The advantages of the introduction of circular economy include the following issues: profitability growth; reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; creation of new jobs. Among the shortcomings of the introduction of circular economy, the publication distinguishes the following: level of complexity of the promotion of systemic changes; economic fluctuations (CE may be non-profit in a short period of time); unsuitable markets (lack of necessary raw materials and infrastructure, competition, knowledge); imperfect regulation (imperfect legislation and/or its implementing); social factors (lack of knowledge and skills related to circular economy); insufficient control over waste sorting; level of financing (both on the part of the State treasury and business). Summing up the advantages and disadvantages of the introduction of circular economy, it is emphasized that, in the terms of CE, the most important value is not being attached to material flows or waste, but to much more sufficient methods, such as maintenance, reuse and recycling of equipment. Also, the research pays considerable attention to the instruments of circular economy and the prerequisites for their application. In addition, each of the above mentioned instruments is considered in the aspect of practical use and analyzed upon existing in the world examples. Thus, among the instruments for the introduction of circular economy, the author highlights: Design of thinking of the future; Virtualization and sharing; Product as a service; Reuse in production; Reuse in consumption; Industrial symbiousness and processing of production waste; Recycling. Special attention in the article is given to the problems of introducing circular economy in Ukraine and ways to solve them. Thus, the research has consistently revealed the problems and ways to solve them at the level of government, business, and society.

Mankind at a Crossroads

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 28-37
Author(s):  
Neantro Saavedra-Rivano
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The World ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Sense Of Urgency

The focus of this article is an examination of the impact that sentience of AI systems would have on mankind. Although the notion of sentience for AI systems is subject to controversy, we believe that its plausibility confers a sense of urgency to the kind of exercise developed here. For completeness, the article distinguishes the near-future and longer-term impacts of artificial intelligence. While the short-term impact is deemed to be mostly positive, the outlook for longer-term impact is considered to be negative under a variety of scenarios, including the adoption of man-machine symbiosis tools. The main reason for the negative outlook in the latter case is the heterogeneity of the world. This implies that only a privileged minority would benefit from symbiosis, an outcome that makes likely a world dominated by a minority of “superhumans.” These conclusions should not be taken lightly, and this article endeavors to raise the attention of scientists and policymakers. In this connection, the paper offers suggestions as to policy measures which could avert this disastrous outlook.

A Plan to Improve Recycled Raw Material Supply in a Production Company of RPET

2020 ◽  
pp. 27-45
Author(s):  
Clara Lopez ◽  
Franz Jäeger ◽  
Karina Ramirez ◽  
Mario Chong
Keyword(s):  
Polyethylene Terephthalate ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Rate Of Return ◽  
The World ◽  
Local Company ◽  
Production Company

The world is facing a problem caused by the management of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging. In the Peruvian context, the studied company is the only local company that has a factory which is able to process post-consumer plastic bottles in order to transform them into recycled resin; this is why it performs a fundamental role. This recycled resin is used for elaborating new packages, generating a circular economy into line with the new global paradigm of switching to a model that seeks to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Finally, it was concluded that the collection center implementation will allow the recycling unit to purchase an average of 76 TN additional annual raw materials. The project would have a cost of US$ 151,383, generating a Net Present Value (NPV) of US$ 144,500 with a 25.9% of Internal Rate of Return (IRR), making it viable in a moderate scenario with a recovery period of five years.

scholarly journals The Use of SEM and Other Complimentary Techniques for the Determination of Properties of Cementitious Materials

1992 ◽  
Vol 00 (8) ◽  
pp. 11-14
Author(s):  
Eric A. Draper ◽  
Jan Skalny
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Cementitious Materials ◽  
Modern State ◽  
Microscopic Evaluation ◽  
The World ◽  
Cost Effect

The need for continued rehabilitation of our concrete infrastructure has lead to the adaptation of modern “state-of-the-art” analytical methods for the characterization of concrete and other cementitious materials. Some of these techniques have not, until relatively recently, been commonly associated with the evaluation of concrete but are very useful both as tools for quality assurance and in the determination of the extent of existing damage. The technique of interest here is the coordinated electron-optical microscopic evaluation of concrete.Concrete is the most widely used building material in the world. Contrary to popular belief, concrete is not inert but chemically very complex and dynamic. While it is true that, pound far pound, concrete and its raw materials (cement, aggregate and water) are the most inexpensive building materials available for construction, it is also true that it responds to its environment in numerous and sometimes very subtle ways. These responses may sometimes result in a loss of durability and tremendous amounts of time and money being expended while searching far the cause(s) of the problem and providing a cost-effect solution. A quick survey of any large metropolitan area and the on-going construction repairs to highways and bridge decks there will quickly confirm this.

scholarly journals Fluidized Bed Combustion and Gasification of Fossil and Renewable Slurry Fuels

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (22) ◽  
pp. 7766
Author(s):  
Francesco Miccio ◽  
Federica Raganati ◽  
Paola Ammendola ◽  
Farouk Okasha ◽  
Michele Miccio
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Resources ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Optimal Choice ◽  
Fluidized Bed Combustion ◽  
Biomass Density ◽  
Hydrophilic Behavior ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Bed Materials ◽  
Civil Sector ◽  
Near Future

This article provides a comprehensive review of the state of the art and more recent developments of the thermochemical treatments of slurry fuels in fluidized beds (FB). The review focuses on FB combustion and gasification of slurry fuels based on coal, biomass, sludge, and wastes from industry, agriculture, and the civil sector. The investigations at research and industrial levels over the last decades are presented and discussed, highlighting the adopted technological solutions, the results in terms of feasibility and efficiency, and the perspectives of future development. The different behavior between bubbling and circulating beds was addressed, in particular the optimal choice depending on the process (combustion/gasification/pyrolysis) and fuel properties (e.g., water content). Fundamental studies on interactions between the slurry fuels and the hot bed materials are also reviewed. The cumulative trend of reviewed investigations over the last decades depicts the abandonment of coal-based mixtures used in large plants, and the growing interest in the use of biomass-based slurries for small size application. In this respect, the shift from coal to biomass opens new challenges because of the different properties of biomass (density, fibrous structure, spontaneous degradation, hydrophilic behavior, etc.). Biomass-based slurries circumvent problems posed by using solid dry biomass, particularly in handling, storing, and feeding. Although slurry fuels represent a narrow sector, the results of the research investigations and the experience gained with coal can be exploited to contribute to the achievement of a circular approach based on renewable resources in the near future.

scholarly journals From the Ashes of a Pandemic: Leveraging Omics for R&D

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 5-10
Author(s):  
Lyre Espada Murao
Keyword(s):  
New World ◽  
Sustainable Utilization ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Developing Regions ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Management Of Resources ◽  
The World ◽  
Global Catastrophe ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Global Food

The COVID-19 pandemic caught the world unprepared for a global catastrophe. With the uncertainty of a vaccine in the near future, the pandemic marks the start of a new world that has to co-exist with the virus. COVID-19 has been a wake-up call to the lingering but neglected issues on environmental health and global food security but is also a timely opportunity to rise from the ashes, reboot our framework, and act with resolve for sustainable and resilient ecosystems and communities. The emerging tools and disciplines in the field of omics can be leveraged for a systems-level understanding of biological processes to accelerate advancements on knowledge, innovations, and policies towards a more sustainable utilization and management of resources in this post-pandemic age. In developing regions, omics research centers can serve as a gateway to this technology by providing access, building capacities, and facilitating collaborative and harmonized research engagements.

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