Resource-saving Technology for Disposal of Phenol-containing Industrial Wastewater Decontamination

We have developed a resource-saving, low-waste technology for the disposal of highly toxic phenol-containing wastewater that enables to utilize phenol and formaldehyde as an organic binder. The technology involves the use of technogenic raw materials («overresin» water from the production of phenol-formaldehyde resins, soft wood waste, waste from the production and processing of laminated plastics) and processes of regeneration, recovery and conversion of phenol. The optimal technological parameters of phenol sorption on wood sorbent and secondary poly/condensation were experimentally established. This in turn provides a high degree of neutralization and extraction of resin-forming components from wastewater and subsequent production wood-polymer thermoplastic structural composite and sodium phenolate on their basis.

Composite Medicine “Azisal” Based on Azithromycin and Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid essentially is obtained under the pressure by the method of Kolbe-Schmidt. One of the biggest drawbacks of this method is the necessity of synthesizing sodium phenolate in advance which involves considerable technological difficulties: water predistillation under vacuum and also the dry sodium phenolate getting very hygroscopic. It is therefore of interest to look for more convenient alternative pathways for the synthesis of salicylic acid, excluding the use of sodium phenolate and this drawback is eliminated by using sodium and potassium salts of ethyl carbonic acid as carboxylation body. Consequently, according to the more convenient method we obtained the salicylic acid. In medicine, 1% solution of salicylic acid in 70 % alcohol called salicylic alcohol is used as an antiseptic. We investigated the antimicrobial activity of a 1% solution of salicylic acid in various concentrations of ethanol (40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% and 90%) in order to determine the effect of different concentrations of ethanol on the antimicrobial activity of salicylic acid. The experiment proved that 1% solution of salicylic acid in various concentrations of ethanol (40-90%) to the appropriate strains of bacteria acts with the same activity regardless of the concentration of ethanol (40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% and 90%). These actions of the acid are due to its solubility in alcohols of different concentrations and complete disintegration of salicylic acid molecules into ions. Thus, on the basis of antimicrobial research the necessity of preparation of 1% solution of salicylic acid in 40% alcohol is proved as the drug is cheaper and cost-effective to produce. The technology of the new composition of the drug “Azisal” consisting of 0.25 g azithromycin and 1.0 g salicylic acid in 60% ethanol was developed, in a similar way solution of azithromycin in different concentrations 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0% in 60% ethanol were prepared and their antimicrobial activities were defined. The comparison of their antimicrobial activity shows the effectiveness of the composite product called “Azisal”.

Cyclomatrix Phosphazene Polymers via Alder-ene Reactions

Cyclomatrix phosphazene polymers were synthesized by the Alder-ene reaction between tris(2-allylphenoxy)triphenoxy cyclotriphosphazene (APCP) and bis(4-maleimido phenyl) methane (BMM). APCP was synthesized from hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene by sequential reaction with sodium phenolate and sodium (2-allylphenolate). It was co-cured in various stoichiometric ratios with BMM. The cure of the APCP/BMM blend was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and rheometry. The polymers exhibited good thermal stability and anaerobic char yield. Although allylphenoxy phosphazene led to early initiation of thermal decomposition, it was conducive to a slow rate of thermal erosion and higher char residue. The cured polymers showed a Tg in the range of 240-250°C. They formed good uni-directional composites with glass fibres, although the phosphazene was found to marginally decrease the inter-phase bonding.