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Search results for: solid waste
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Remediation of soils on municipal rendering plant territories using Miscanthus × giganteus
PublicationPhytoremediation, as a cost-effective, highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and green approach, gained attention to the removal of metals, including heavy metals, from contaminated soils. The toxic nature of heavy metals can have an adverse effect on human health and the ecosystem, and their removal remains a worldwide problem. Therefore, in this study, a field experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential of Miscanthus × giganteus...
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Smartphone-Assisted and Optical Quantification of Copper and Glucose Using Palm Wine-Tailored Carbon Dots and Their Multiple Logic Gate Application
PublicationIn this work, potassium, sulfur, nitrogen, and chlorine self-doped carbon dots (CDs) were hydrothermally synthesized using palm wine as a carbon source. The palm wine-derived CDs (PW-CDs) are amorphous in nature and displayed an average particle size of 4.19 ± 0.89 nm. The as-synthesized CDs are used to fabricate a photoluminescent sensing probe to simultaneously detect Cu2+ and glucose via the “Turn ON−OFF−ON” mechanism. The PL...
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Laboratory assessment of permeability of sand and biopolymer mixtures
PublicationLaboratory assessment of permeability of sand and biopolymer mixtures. This research presents a method of creating seepage barriers in a sandy soil using biopolymer additives (biosubstance), which consist of polysaccharides and water. Polysaccharides strongly interact with water to produce a viscous suspension. The paper aims to investigate the infl uence of a biosubstance employed in a highly permeable sandy soil. Amount of the...
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Knowledge risks - towards a taxonomy
PublicationThe paper aims to identify, describe and analyse knowledge risks organisations might face and based on this, proposes a taxonomy of knowledge risks. To achieve this goal, a literature review was conducted. After the analysis of the existing material, it was possible to divide knowledge risks into two categories: internal (originating from the inside of the organisation) and external (originating from the outside of the organisation)....
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Application of lightweight cement composite with foamed glass aggregate in shell structures
PublicationThe purpose of the paper is to investigate the abilities of applying Granulated Expanded Glass Aggregate (GEGA) as a natural volume substitute of aggregate as a component of lightweight concrete. The GEGA aggregates used in the experiments were made of confused glass waste. In order to achieve satisfactory strength of concrete Granulated Ash Aggregate (GAA) was added as well. To produce specimens three grain sizes of aggregates...
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Pyrolysis Process of Whole Waste Tires as a Biomass Energy Recycling
PublicationThe article is devoted to the description of material recycling of whole waste tires, including a new method of pyrolysis process, resulting in the final products: technically oil fractions (rubber plasticizer of rubber compounds) or diesel fuels (light, medium and heavy), activated carbon, gas fuel and steel scrap. Operational and performance tests of the first version of the pilot plant, consisting of three contributions cooperating...
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Katalizatory wykorzystywane w syntezie biodiesla
PublicationRising prices of electricity, conventional fuels and heating require decisive steps in the further development of technologies based on renewable energy sources. These include geothermal-; hydrothermal-; aerothermal-; and solar energy. Due to the fact that the petrochemical industry is one of the fastest growing branches of the economy, we would like to expand on the topic related to biofuels. Biodiesel is an alternative fuel similar...
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Emerging Processes for Sustainable Processing of Food Ingredients and Products
PublicationIn recent decades, traditional food processing processes, such as homogenization, pasteurization, canning, drying, and smoking, among others, have been successfully applied to obtain, to some extent, acceptable food items. However, with the increasing food demand, as a consequence of the growing population worldwide, new, tunable, and enriched food products are demanded, requiring the implementation of emerging technologies in...
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ICT-enabled circular economy: conceptualising the links
PublicationThis chapter sets conceptual backgrounds regarding the potentially emerging causal links between digital technologies and circular economy ideas implementation. We argue that digital technologies may constitute an effective element enabling the transformation from linear to circular and environmentally friendly economic activities. This work draws the general picture at the macro and micro level. The macro perspective shows how...
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Pyrolysis of RDF and Catalytic Decomposition of the Produced Tar in a Char Bed Secondary Reactor as an Efficient Source of Syngas
PublicationOne of the technical limitations of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) pyrolysis is the high content of tar in its gas products. In order to resolve this problem, a two-stage RDF pyrolysis with a catalyst based on char from RDF pyrolysis is proposed. This paper presents the results of municipal waste pyrolysis beginning in an oven heated to 480 °C and ending with catalytic tar cracking carried out in the temperature range from 800 to 1000...
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AGREEprep – Analytical greenness metric for sample preparation
PublicationThis work proposes for the first time, a metric tool that gives prominence to sample preparation. The developed metric (termed AGREEprep) was based on 10 categories of impact that were recalculated to 0 e1 scale sub-scores, and then used to calculate the final assessment score. The criteria of assessment evaluated, among others, the choice and use of solvents, materials and reagents, waste generation, energy consumption, sample...
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Stirling engines - the state of technology development and computational models
PublicationStirling engines represent a technologically important solution in combined heat and power systems. Their use enables the achievement of over 90 percent efficiency in the management of the primary energy source with a very high durability of the device, mainly due to the lack of contact of the working gas with external factors and a very small number of mechanical components. The use of a Stirling engine may be equally important...
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Macro-nutrients recovery from liquid waste as a sustainable resource for production of recovered mineral fertilizer: Uncovering alternative options to sustain global food security cost-effectively
PublicationGlobal food security, which has emerged as one of the sustainability challenges, impacts every country. As food cannot be generated without involving nutrients, research has intensified recently to recover unused nutrients from waste streams. As a finite resource, phosphorus (P) is largely wasted. This work critically reviews the technical applicability of various water technologies to recover macro-nutrients such as P, N, and...
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A novel approach to enhance high optically active L-lactate production from food waste by landfill leachate
PublicationThe recycling of food waste (FW) through anaerobic fermentation into lactic acid (LA), with two isomers L-LA and D-LA, aligns with the principles of a bio-based circular economy. However, FW fermentation is often limited by competing pathways, acidification inhibition, and trace metals deficiency. This study investigates the introduction of landfill leachate, containing buffering agents (ammonia) and trace metals, into FW fermentation....
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Effect of Compounding Conditions on Static and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of High Density Polyethylene/Ground Tire Rubber Blends
PublicationSearching for new and cost-effective methods of waste rubber recycling is a subject of research in many scientific centers in the world. In this paper there are presented results of the research of the extrusion process of cheap and environmentally friendly thermoplastic compositions containing 50 % wt. of masses of ground tire rubber (GTR). The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the mixing conditions and...
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Metrics for green analytical chemistry
PublicationGreen analytical chemistry, although not being a new concept, does not have a greenness metrics system. Green chemistry metrics are not suitable for analytical procedure assessment because they often refer to the mass of the product. Some efforts have been made to develop suitable metrics for analytical chemistry. Some are simple to use but do not cover all aspects of analytical methods’ environmental impact. Others are more comprehensive...
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CHROMATOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES IN PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS IN POLAND: HISTORY AND THE PRESENCE ON THE BASIS OF PAPERS PUBLISHED IN SELECTED POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNALS IN XX CENTURY
PublicationFor a long time, chromatographic techniques and techniques related to them have stimulated the development of new procedures in the field of pharmaceutical analysis. The newly developed methods, characterized by improved metrological parameters, allow for more accurate testing of, among others, the composition of raw materials, intermediates and final products. The chromatographic techniques also enable studies on waste generated...
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The effect of tyre rubber grinding method on the rubber-asphalt binder properties
PublicationRubber products, especially those used in the automotive industry, are responsible for a significant amount of waste, mainly in the form of worn tyres. One way to recycle tyres is to use them as an asphalt binder modifier. The properties of rubber-asphalt binders vary greatly depending on the morphology of the ground tyre rubber (GTR) grains and the type of tyre to be recycled (car/truck). The paper presents the results of research...
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Recycled Polyurethane as a Second Phase in Thermoset Blends and Its Effect on Thermal Degradation Kinetics Studies
PublicationA new approach is introduced in the modification of thermosetting polymer by using different amount of polyurethane of waste origin. The post consumer polyurethane foam coatings are degraded using glycolysis process and the recycled product is further converted into new polyurethane. The blending of recycled polyurethane with epoxy exhibits transparency and produces nanostructures. The effective interaction between two polymers...
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Assessment of wastewater quality indicators for wastewater treatment influent using an advanced logistic regression model
PublicationInfluent quality indicators play a significant role in wastewater treatment plant performance due to their correlation with reactor operations and effluent quality. However, selecting a specific/best parameter indicator for predicting influent wastewater quality is one of the challenges in wastewa- ter treatment. This study, therefore, focused on determining suitable variables as influent quality indicators. For this purpose, a...
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Recycling of raw materials, silicon wafers and complete solar cells from photovoltaic modules
PublicationPhotovoltaic modules (PVs) are an attractive way of generating electricity in reliable and maintenance-free systems with the use of solar energy. The average lifetime of photovoltaic modules is 25 to 30 years. To offset the negative impact of photovoltaic modules on the environment, it is necessary to introduce a long-term strategy that includes a complete lifecycle of all system components from the production phase through installation...
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The Effect of Polyurethane Glycolysate on the Structure and Properties of Natural Rubber/Carbon Black Composites
PublicationIn this work the use of polyurethane chemical recycling product (i.e. glycolysis of polyurethane waste realized with the mass excess of polymer) as a plasticizer for natural rubber-based composites was proposed. The effect of plasticizer type (napthenic oil and polyurethane foam glycolysate) and amount (2, 4, 6 or 8 parts per 100 parts of natural rubber) on the processing properties of rubber mixtures and chemical structure, swelling,...
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Bioconversion of waste materials to hydrogen via dark fermentation using Enterobacter aerogenes
PublicationHydrogen can be obtained via dark fermentation with the use of anaerobic Enterobacter aerogenes. The efficiency of hydrogen production by fermentation techniques is strongly dependent on the con-ditions used i.e. the pH range, temperature, composition of fermentation broths, oxygen content, or even the presence of substances with potentially inhibitory effects on the microbiological culture [1-4]. The paper describes the study...
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New insights of nanomaterials usage toward superhydrophobic membranes for water desalination via membrane distillation: A review
PublicationMembrane distillation (MD) is a promising technology for seawater desalination due to the ability to process high-salinity waters and the ability to be driven by low-grade or waste heat. However, practical applications of MD membranes are limited by the low vapor flux and fouling problem. Recently, there is a growing interest in developing novel MD membrane materials with enhanced hydrophobicity to improve the efficiency of desalination...
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Medium-Voltage Drives: Challenges and existing technology
PublicationThe article presents an overview of state-of-art solutions, advances, and design and research trends in medium-voltage (MV) drive technologies - and also discusses the challenges and requirements associated with the use of such drives. The choice and deployment of MV drives in industries are associated with numerous requirements related to the front-end converter (grid side) and inverter (machine side). The focus is on solutions...
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Cathodic Activation of Titania-Fly Ash Cenospheres for Efficient Electrochemical Hydrogen Production: A Proposed Solution to Treat Fly Ash Waste
PublicationFly ash (FA) is a waste product generated in huge amounts by coal-fired electric and steam-generating plants. As a result, the use of FA alone or in conjunction with other materials is an intriguing study topic worth exploring. Herein, we used FA waste in conjunction with titanium oxide (TiO2) to create (FA-TiO2) nanocomposites. For the first time, a cathodic polarization pre-treatment regime was applied to such nanocomposites...
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Hydraulic conductivity of a biopolymer treated sand
PublicationThis paper presents results of laboratory assessment of creating seepage barriers in a sandy soil using biopolymer additives (bio substance), which consist of polysaccharides and water. Polysaccharides strongly interact with water to produce a viscous suspension. The aim of the conducted work was to investigate the influence of a biosubstance employed in a highly permeable sandy soil. The amount of the biopolymer used in a sample...
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Some geomechanical properties of a biopolymer treated medium sand
PublicationSome geomechanical properties of a biopolymer treated medium sand. This paper presents a laboratory assessment of geomechanical properties of sandy soil improved by biopolymer application. Additives (biosubstance) consist of polysaccharides and water. Biosubstance used in the project was xanthan gum, which comes from bacteria Xanthomonas campestris. Triaxial shear compression tests and unconfi ned compression tests were carried...
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Assessment of the water quality of Kłodnica River catchment using self-organizing maps
PublicationRisk assessment of industrial areas heavily polluted due to anthropogenic actions is of increasing concern worldwide. So is the case of Polish Silesia region where mostly heavy industry like smelters, mining, chemical industries as well as heat and electricity production facilities are being located. Such situation raises numerous questions about environmental state of local water bodies with special attention paid to the Kłodnica...
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Methods of liquid biofuels production - the bioethanol example.
PublicationEthanol is used in chemical and food industry, mainly either in the synthesis or as a solvent. The newest application of ethanol is as a fuel. This alcohol, produced on an industrial scale from crop waste, is widely known under the name bioethanol. It could be used as a fuel by itself or in a mixture with gasoline. Today, there are several technologies for bioethanol production known. The relatively simple method of obtaining bioethanol...
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METHODS OF LIQUID BIOFUEL PRODUCTION – THE BIOETHANOL EXAMPLE
PublicationEthanol is used in chemical and food industry, mainly either in the synthesis or as a solvent. The newest application of ethanol is as a fuel. This alcohol, produced on an industrial scale from crop waste, is widely known under the name bioethanol. It could be used as a fuel by itself or in a mixture with gasoline. Today, there are several technologies for bioethanol production known. The relatively simple method of obtaining bioethanol...
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AGREE—Analytical GREEnness Metric Approach and Software
PublicationGreen analytical chemistry focuses on making analytical procedures more environmentally benign and safer to humans. The amounts and toxicity of reagents, generated waste, energy requirements, the number of procedural steps, miniaturization, and automation are just a few of the multitude of criteria considered when assessing an analytical methodology’s greenness. The use of greenness assessment criteria requires dedicated tools. We...
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The innovative exploitation of Brassica vegetables in the health quality food production chain
PublicationIn this overview the multidirectional opportunities of innovative exploitation of chemical and biological properties of vegetables from Brassiceae family are discussed. The specific chemical composition of brassicas, as regard both nutrients and non-nutrients, renders them particularly suitable for the health food production chain, literally from field to fork. the ability of these plants to accumulate heavy metals may be utilised...
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The innovative Exploitation of Brassica Vegetables in the Health Quality Food Production Chain
PublicationIn this overview the multidirectional opportunities of innovative exploitation of chemical and biological properties of vegetables from Brassiceae family are discussed. The specific chemical composition of brassicas, as regard both nutrients and non-nutrients, renders them particularly suitable for the health food production chain, literally from field to fork. the ability of these plants to accumulate heavy metals may be utilised...
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Energy and valuable organic products recovery from anaerobic processes
PublicationChapter 8 contains: Introduction, Energy balance in wastewater treatment plants and potential energy recovery, Potential valuable products recovery, Anaerobic processes focused on liquid products recovery; Anaerobic digestion (AD) processes focused on gaseous products recovery, Processes enhancing energy and valuable organic products recovery, Conclusions and perspectives. Anaerobic processes offer different pathways for the recovery...
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The Influence of Low-Temperature Disintegration on the Co-Fermentation Process of Distillation Residue and Waste-Activated Sludge
Publication: Innovative low-temperature disintegration (process temperature 55 ◦C and oxygen concentration 0.2 mg/dm3 ) can be an economically rational technology to intensifying energy production from renewable sources. The proposed process can achieve a degree of disintegration—under optimal conditions—of about 50%, which is excellent when compared with other methods of feed pre-treatment. The low-temperature disintegration of distillation...
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Rheological characteristics of oligomeric semiproducts gained via chemical degradation of polyurethane foam using crude glycerin in the presence of different catalysts
PublicationPolyurethane (PU) recycling is a topic of growing interest due to the increasing amount of polyurethane waste. The main purpose of polyurethane chemical recycling is to recover the starting polyol. In this study, a method of polyurethane thermochemical recycling, glycerolysis by means of crude glycerin, is proposed. This work presents a comparative study of commercial catalysts used in order to accelerate the decomposition process,...
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Studies on the utilization of post-distillation liquid from Solvay process to carbon dioxide capture and storage
PublicationIn this work, a method of precipitated calcium carbonate production from the post-distillation liquid created in the Solvay process and waste carbon dioxide was proposed and investigated. Precipitation was carried out in a model solution of calcium chloride containing ammonia at various molar ratios in relation to Ca2+ ions, while gaseous carbon dioxide was supplied to the reactor as a pure gas or as a mixture with air. It was...
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A Theoretical and Experimental Study of Moderate Temperature Alfa Type Stirling Engines
PublicationThe Stirling engine is a device that allows conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy with relatively high efficiency. Existing commercial designs are mainly based on the usage of high temperature heat sources, whose availability from renewable or waste heat sources is significantly lower than that of moderate temperature sources. The paper presents the results of experimental research on a prototype alpha type Stirling...
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MANDARIN PEEL AS AN AUSPICIOUS FUNCTIONAL FILLER FOR POLYMER COMPOSITES
PublicationThis work describes the application of mandarin peel (MP) as a waste filler for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites. The main goal was to investigate the impact of the filler's essential oils, which include multiple terpenes and terpenoids, on the processing, physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the composites as a function of different filler content (1 – 10 wt%), as well as its effect on the color and...
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Extraction with environmentally friendly solvents
PublicationThe ever-increasing demand for determining compounds at low concentration levels in complex matrices requires a preliminary step of analytes isolation/enrichment in order to employ a detection technique characterized by high sensitivity at low LOQ. Sample preparation is considered as crucial part of analytical procedures. Previously the parameter of “greenness” is as important as selectivity in order to avoid using harmful organic...
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The use of fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) in bridges as a favourable solution for the environment
PublicationThe purpose of this article is to show the modern engineering, in which sustainability and taking care of ecology play a significant role. The authors are focused on FRP composite materials and their applications in civil engineering. Case studies showing renovation and design of new bridges with the use of FRP are presented and discussed to clarify benefits, which this solution provides. Main advantages of FRP materials in comparison...
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Potential of Functionalized Polyolefins in a Sustainable Polymer Economy: Synthetic Strategies and Applications
PublicationPolymers play a crucial role in our modern life as no other material exists that is so versatile, moldable, and lightweight. Consequently, the demand for polymers will continue to grow with the human population, modernization, and technological developments. However, depleted fossil resources, increasing plastic waste production, ocean pollution, and related growing emission of greenhouse gases has led to a change in the way we...
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Recycling of photovoltaic modules - legal status, technology, market prospects
PublicationThe increase in the number of manufactured and installed photovoltaic modules and the growing concern about the insufficient supply of pure silicon imply the need to take action to develop infrastructure for recycling PV modules. The article presents a multifaceted analysis of the current state of development of the photovoltaic module recycling sector from a global and national perspective. The essence of the issue was introduced...
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Biobased Ultralow-Density Polyurethane Foams with Enhanced Recyclability
PublicationPolyurethane (PUR) foams are widely used in many engineering applications, but their efficient recycling has remained a major challenge for many years. This study presents a novel strategy of incorporating hydrolyzable ester units into the PUR structure to enhance PUR foam recyclability. The present ecodesign concept of PUR materials enables fully the replacement of petrochemical polyols with biobased alternatives and production...
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A prototype information system for managing and pricing e-waste
PublicationThere is no doubt that innovation drives development in all areas of human activity, including electrical and electronic equipment. However, the production of new equipment has a significant impact on the natural environment and a relatively high consumption of natural resources. To address these issues, the circular economy has been implemented in recent years by promoting and introducing numerous measures to facilitate the recycling...
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VOCs absorption from gas streams using deep eutectic solvents – A review
PublicationVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) are one of the most severe atmospheric pollutants. They are mainly emitted into the atmosphere from anthropogenic sources such as automobile exhaust, incomplete fuel combustion, and various industrial processes. VOCs not only cause hazards to human health or the environment but also adversely affect industrial installation components due to their specific properties, i.e., corrosive and reactivity....
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Mass Spectrometry-Based Direct Analytical Techniques
PublicationDirect analysis of samples is considered as one of the most environmentally sustainable solutions in analytical chemistry. In the ideal case, such solutions do not require sample preparation and analytes separation steps, therefore do not consumpt harmful substances (or consumpt only minimum amounts of them) and do not generate hazardous waste. Technical solutions for direct analysis also offer miniaturized and field-portable analyzers...
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Structural Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Beams Incorporating Waste Plastic Straws
PublicationThe behavior of reinforced concrete beams containing fibers made of waste plastic straws (WPSs) under the three point bending test is examined. The effect of WPS fiber addition on the compressive and split tensile strength is reported. Four concrete mixes were prepared. The control mix PS-0 had a proportion of 1 cement: 1 sand: 2 coarse aggregate and a water cement ratio of 0.4. In the other three mixes PS-0.5, PS-1.5 and PS-3,...
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Vegetable derived-oil facilitating carbon black migration from waste tire rubbers and its reinforcement effect
PublicationThree dimensional chemically cross-linked polymer networks present a great challenge for recycling and reutilization of waste tire rubber. In this work, the covalently cross-linked networks of ground tire rubber (GTR) were degraded heterogeneously under 150 °C due to the synergistic effects of the soybean oil and controlled oxidation. The degradation mechanism was discussed using Horikx theory and Fourier transformation infrared...