scholarly journals Valorisation of plastic waste via metal-catalysed depolymerisation

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 589-621
Author(s):  
Francesca Liguori ◽  
Carmen Moreno-Marrodán ◽  
Pierluigi Barbaro
Keyword(s):  
Plastic Material ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Acid Base

Metal-catalysed depolymerisation of plastics to reusable building blocks, including monomers, oligomers or added-value chemicals, is an attractive tool for the recycling and valorisation of these materials. The present manuscript shortly reviews the most significant contributions that appeared in the field within the period January 2010–January 2020 describing selective depolymerisation methods of plastics. Achievements are broken down according to the plastic material, namely polyolefins, polyesters, polycarbonates and polyamides. The focus is on recent advancements targeting sustainable and environmentally friendly processes. Biocatalytic or unselective processes, acid–base treatments as well as the production of fuels are not discussed, nor are the methods for the further upgrade of the depolymerisation products.

scholarly journals Beaching patterns of plastic debris along the Indian Ocean rim

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam van der Mheen ◽  
Erik van Sebille ◽  
Charitha Pattiaratchi
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Bay Of Bengal ◽  
Plastic Material ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Southwest Monsoon ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Ocean Dynamics ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
Southwest Monsoon Season

Abstract. A large percentage of global ocean plastic waste enters the northern hemisphere Indian Ocean (NIO). Despite this, it is unclear what happens to buoyant plastics in the NIO. Because the subtropics in the NIO is blocked by landmass, there is no subtropical gyre and no associated subtropical garbage patch in this region. We therefore hypothesise that plastics "beach" and end up on coastlines along the Indian Ocean rim. In this paper, we determine the influence of beaching plastics by applying different beaching conditions to Lagrangian particle tracking simulation results. Our results show that a large amount of plastic likely ends up on coastlines in the NIO, while some crosses the equator into the southern hemisphere Indian Ocean (SIO). In the NIO, the transport of plastics is dominated by seasonally reversing monsoonal currents, which transport plastics back and forth between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. All buoyant plastic material in this region beaches within a few years in our simulations. Countries bordering the Bay of Bengal are particularly heavily affected by plastics beaching on coastlines. This is a result of both the large sources of plastic waste in the region, as well as ocean dynamics which concentrate plastics in the Bay of Bengal. During the intermonsoon period following the southwest monsoon season (September, October, November), plastics can cross the equator on the eastern side of the NIO basin into the SIO. Plastics that escape from the NIO into the SIO beach on eastern African coastlines and islands in the SIO or enter the subtropical SIO garbage patch.

Places and Causes of Mismanaged Plastic Materials in the Life Cycle of Flexible Plastic Packaging Based on Mechanical Recycling Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 888 ◽  
pp. 129-138
Author(s):  
Munzir Hadengganan ◽  
Djoko Sihono Gabriel
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Plastic Material ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Production Cycle ◽  
Mechanical Recycling ◽  
Rigid Plastic ◽  
Plastic Packaging ◽  
Quality Degradation ◽  
Plastic Materials

Plastic waste has become a big issue in the world for its large amount of plastic waste in the sea. Most of the plastic waste is plastic packaging which consists of flexible and rigid plastic packaging. This research discusses flexible plastic packaging. Until now, most researches on the loss of plastic materials discuss how to manage plastic waste disposal once it has been used by community: only a few discuss production cycle: while none of them discusses flexible plastic packaging area. This research aims to examine the number of mismanaged materials throughout flexible plastic packaging life cycle using a combination of Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). Based on the literature review, interviews and observations conducted by the author to all stakeholders in the life cycle of flexible plastic packaging, mismanagement of plastic material occurred in each cycle, mostly caused by quality degradation of flexible plastic that could cause plastic waste was not acceptable in the mechanical recycle. The results of this study show that: (1) mismanaged material occurred in all cycles throughout the life cycles of flexible plastic packaging, (2) quality degradation is the main caused of mismanaged material in several cycles, and (3) the mismanaged materials in the life cycle of flexible plastic packaging were 98.29%.

scholarly journals An Experimental Study on Plastic Blended Bituminous Concrete Mix Roads

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.35) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
T. Sarada ◽  
G. Sreeja
Keyword(s):  
Coming Out ◽  
Plastic Material ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Partial Replacement ◽  
New Era ◽  
Pet Bottles ◽  
The People ◽  
Concrete Mix ◽  
Bituminous Concrete

In this new era there are lot of changes are onaerved.But new materials and practices are not coming out that much. Some of the people uses some partial replacement of bitumen and tar which gives some satisfactory results. But later investigations prove that all those materials are not exhibits required properties in all aspects. In that time investigators turn their eye on the recycling materials like rubber and plastic. They noticed that both materials gives the satisfactory results. On the other hand the usage of plastic (polyethylene bags, pet bottles, polystyrene and other plastic products) products increases day by day, that leads to lot of pollution due to plastic waste. This plastic material takes hundreds of years to decompose in the soil. Hence they become complicated to environment. This plastic waste stops the percolations of rain water in to the soil and affects the drainage property of soil. It also damages the soil fertility.A new technology introduced to usages of plastic waste in bitumen to strengthen the bituminous concrete mix and increase the load bearing strength. It will help to reduce the waste plastic content and also make the pavement more durable and strong, economical also 

scholarly journals Linkage and continuity of care after release from prison: an evaluation of central registration points for drug users in Belgium

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stijn Vandevelde ◽  
Freya Vander Laenen ◽  
Benjamin Mine ◽  
Eric Maes ◽  
Lana De Clercq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Substance Abuse Treatment ◽  
Continuity Of Care ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Substance Abuse Problem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Abuse Treatment ◽  
Specific Expertise

Purpose This paper aims to report the findings of an evaluation study concerning the Central Registration Points (CRPs) for drug users in Belgian prisons. CRPs support drug users to link with community-based services. Design/methodology/approach The study applied a multi-method approach that involved an exploratory literature review; a secondary analysis of the CRPs’ databases; a qualitative study of the perceptions of a diverse sample of stakeholders with regard to the functioning of CRPs; and a prospective registration study. Findings One-third of the clients never attended an outpatient or residential substance abuse service before prison entry. This illustrates that the CRPs managed to reach clients who were not previously reached by (substance abuse) treatment services. All interviewed actors emphasized the added value of the CRPs in terms of informing, contacting, motivating and referring prisoners with a substance abuse problem. Practical implications Based on the research findings, two issues seem to be of paramount importance in the successful practice of CRPs: the confidentiality and specific expertise on (substance abuse) treatment. Given the complex situation of drug users in prison, an independent positioning and categorical assistance with drug-specific expertise seem to be essential. Originality/value CRPs can be considered to be one of the “building blocks” that contribute to high-quality care and continuity of care for drugs users in detention.

scholarly journals Iron Catalyzed Synthesis and Chemical Recycling of Telechelic, 1,3-Enchained Oligocyclobutanes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Mohadjer Beromi ◽  
C. Rose Kennedy ◽  
Jarod M. Younker ◽  
Alex E. Carpenter ◽  
Sarah J. Mattler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Chemical Recycling ◽  
Thermally Stable ◽  
Hydrocarbon Feedstock ◽  
High Crystallinity

Closed-loop recycling offers the opportunity to help mitigate plastic waste through reversible polymer construction and deconstruction. While examples of the chemical recycling polymers are known, few have been applied to materials derived from abundant commodity olefinic monomers that are the building blocks of ubiquitous plastic resins. Here we describe a [2+2] cycloaddition oligomerization of 1,3-butadiene to yield a previously unrealized telechelic microstructure of (1,n’-divinyl)oligocyclobutane. This material is thermally stable, has stereoregular segments arising from chain-end control, and exhibits high crystallinity even at low molecular weight. Exposure of the oligocyclobutane to vacuum in the presence of the pyridine(diimine) iron precatalyst used to synthesize it resulted in deoligomerization to generate pristine butadiene, demonstrating a rare example of closed-loop chemical recycling of an oligomeric material derived from a commodity hydrocarbon feedstock.

scholarly journals Getting Environmentally Friendly and High Added-Value Products from Lignocellulosic Waste

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Quintana Rodríguez ◽  
Domancar Orona Tamayo ◽  
José Nicacio González Cervantes ◽  
Flora Itzel Beltrán Ramirez ◽  
María Alejandra Rivera Trasgallo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Value Added ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Barrier Properties ◽  
Nanofibrillated Cellulose ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Lignocellulosic Waste ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Cellulose Nanomaterials ◽  
Micro Nanofibrillated Cellulose

In recent years, alternatives have been sought for the reuse of lignocellulosic waste generated by agricultural and other industries because it is biodegradable and renewable. Lignocellulosic waste can be used for a wide variety of applications, depending on their composition and physical properties. In this chapter, we focus on the different treatments that are used for the extraction of natural cellulose fibers (chemical, physical, biological methods) for more sophisticated applications such as reinforcement in biocomposites. Due to the different morphologies that the cellulose can present, depending from sources, it is possible to obtain cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), micro- nanofibrillated cellulose (MFC/NFC), and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) with different applications in the industry. Among the different cellulose nanomaterials highlighted characteristics, we can find improved barrier properties for sound and moisture, the fact that they are environmentally friendly, increased tensile strength and decreased weight. These materials have the ability to replace metallic components, petroleum products, and nonrenewable materials. Potential applications of cellulose nanomaterials are present in the automotive, construction, aerospace industries, etc. Also, this chapter exhibits global market predictions of these new materials or products. In summary, lignocellulosic residues are a rich source of cellulose that can be extracted to obtain products with high value-added and eco-friendly characteristics.

scholarly journals Compressive Strength and Bulk Density of Concrete Hollow Blocks (CHB) Infused with Low-density Polyethylene (LDPE) Pellets

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. 1932-1943
Author(s):  
Alvin Joseph Santos Dolores ◽  
Jonathan David Lasco ◽  
Timothy M. Bertiz ◽  
Kimjay M. Lamar
Keyword(s):  
Compressive Strength ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Plastic Material ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Low Density Polyethylene ◽  
Partial Replacement ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Environment Friendly ◽  
Industry Practice

Infusing plastic waste to concrete and masonry structures is an increasingly common industry practice that has the potential to create an environment-friendly material that can improve some of the material’s properties, craft a novel means to repurpose plastic waste, and reduce the need for mining aggregates in the environment. This concept has been studied extensively in different forms of concrete, as shown by several studies; however, there is a dearth of studies focusing on the incorporation plastic waste in concrete hollow blocks (CHB). In this study, we aim to fill that gap by investigating on the effects of incorporating low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a commonly used plastic material, to CHB on its compressive strength and bulk density. Samples of varying percentages of LDPE replacement by volume (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40%) were fabricated and tested. Results showed a general trend of decreasing compressive strength and bulk density upon increasing the amount of LDPE pellets in CHB, which was also observed in previous studies. However, the compressive strength of CHB increased at 10% LDPE replacement, a result similar to a previous study. It was inferred that the strength of the plastic material could have a direct contribution to the compressive strength of CHB at low percentage of aggregate replacement. Statistical analysis showed that the mix with 10% LDPE pellets as replacement to sand was the best among the samples tested. It was shown that CHB infused with LDPE pellets has a higher compressive strength than what is normally used in the Philippines. It was concluded that based on compressive strength and bulk density, LDPE pellets is a viable material to use as partial replacement to sand in non-load bearing CHB.

scholarly journals An Experimental Study of Plastic Waste as Fine Aggregate Substitute for Environmentally Friendly Concrete

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-190
Author(s):  
Anita Intan Nura Diana ◽  
Subaidillah Fansuri ◽  
Akhmad Feri Fatoni
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Compressive Strength ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Fine Aggregate ◽  
Simultaneous Effect ◽  
Plastic Bottle ◽  
Maximum Compressive Strength ◽  
Test Objects

Decomposing plastics, including plastic bottles, is a very difficult process because it takes 50-100 years. Every year, the use of plastic bottles is increasing, but only few people are willing to treat plastic bottle waste. In this study, plastic bottle waste is used as a substitute of fine aggregate and shaped in such a way to have a sand-like gradation. The variations of graded plastic bottle waste are 0%, 5%, 10%, and 12%. The test objects for each variation consist of three specimens. Data are analyzed by using regression and classical assumption test with SPSS program. The results of the data analysis show that there is a simultaneous effect on the compressive strength with variations in plastic waste substitution. The compressive strength decreases with the increase in the percentage of plastic added. Maximum compressive strength is at the variations of 0% and 5% with19.192 MPa and 16.414 MPa, respectively.

scholarly journals MIXed Plastics Biodegradation and UPcycling Using Microbial Communities: The EU Horizon 2020 Project MIX-UP

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hendrik Ballerstedt ◽  
Till Tiso ◽  
Nick Wierckx ◽  
Ren Wei ◽  
Luc Avérous ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Waste Streams ◽  
Horizon 2020 ◽  
The Eu

Abstract This article introduces the EU Horizon 2020 research project MIX-UP, “Mixed plastics biodegradation and upcycling using microbial communities”. The project focuses on the ambitious vision to change the traditional linear value chain of plastics to a sustainable, biodegradable based one. In MIX-UP, plastic mixtures containing five of the top six fossil-based recalcitrant plastics (PE, PUR, PP, PET, and PS), along with upcoming biobased and biodegradable plastics (bioplastics) such as PHA and PLA, will be used as feedstock for microbial transformations. The generated new workflow increases recycling quotas and adds value to present poorly recycled plastic waste streams. Consecutive controlled enzymatic and microbial degradation of mechanically pre-treated plastics waste combined with subsequent microbial conversion to polymers and value-added chemicals by mixed cultures. Through optimization of known plastic-degrading enzymes by integrated protein engineering, high specific binding capacities, stability, and catalytic efficacy towards a broad spectrum of plastic polymers under high salt content and temperature conditions will be achieved. Another focus lies in the search and isolation of novel enzymes active on recalcitrant polymers. MIX-UP will also enhance the production of enzymes and formulate enzyme cocktails tailored to specific waste streams. In vivo and in vitro application of these cocktails enables stable, self-sustaining microbiomes to convert the released plastic monomers selectively into value-added products, key building blocks, and biomass. Any of the remaining material recalcitrant to the enzymatic activity will be recirculated into the process by physicochemical treatment. The Chinese-European MIX-UP is a multidisciplinary and industry-participating consortium to address the market need for novel sustainable routes to valorize plastic waste streams. MIX-UP realizes a circular (bio) plastic economy and will contribute where mechanical and chemical plastic recycling show limits.

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