Papers by Keyword: Waste

Abstract: The present study aims to evaluate the possibility of using low-cost adsorbents based on Cardoon waste for the depollution of industrial effluents. After characterization of the raw cardoon waste [1], the carbonization was carried out at 350 °C in a muffle furnace. In order to show the performance of the method used to prepare this activated carbon (PC), a comparative study with a commercial carbon (CC) is performed. The obtained activated carbon and the commercial carbon were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy coupled with EDX, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Approximate analyses of moisture content, volatile matter content, ash content and fixed carbon content, acid-base surface functions, pH at zero charge and iodine value were performed. The obtained results indicate that the main characteristics of the activated carbon prepared at 350 °C are practically similar to those of the commercial carbon; a homogeneous porous surface, an interesting percentage of carbon, a high thermal stability and a disorganized graphitic crystalline structure, the iodine adsorption values on the two carbons are 409.887 mg/g for PC and 430.191 mg/g for CC. The adsorption of methylene blue (MB) on both carbons was performed. The kinetics and isotherms of MB adsorption on the two carbons were evaluated. According to the obtained results, the use of the prepared carbon in effluent treatment can be put into perspective.

Abstract: Collagen has been widely used in biomedical applications, mainly to develop structures (cell scaffolds) that allow cell growth and differentiation processes. This biomolecule is also used in cosmetics because it is an essential ingredient of certain makeup and in pharmaceutics for bandages to treat wounds and burns. However, the use of collagen has been limited by the ethical and moral implications of the (typically animal) sources from which it is extracted. Therefore, alternative, more environmentally friendly sources should be found to obtain collagen. Extracting collagen from fishing industry waste (such as scales, bones, and fish skin) has been presented as an advantageous alternative to obtain this biomaterial, which has also shown promising results due to its biocompatibility with human structures (organs and tissues). The characteristics of this molecule and other sources from which it can be obtained should be further studied.

Abstract: The high demand of concrete has increased the rate of the ecosystem as well as increase the carbon emissions of the cement industry. The rapid growth of construction puts a severe strain on our natural resources and endangers the environment. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a green alternative that will protect the environment and preserve resources. Hence, this study is carried out to reduce the usage of cement in concrete production. The new replacement technique utilized the magnesium-rich synthetic gypsum (MRSG) and silica fume (SF). The MRSG and SF will be used as partial replacement of cement in the range of 5% to 30% with a water to cement ratio of 0.55. These mixtures were formed into cube specimens of 100 x 100 x 100 mm size. Then, the compressive strength was conducted to determine the strength of the specimens. The results indicated that 10% cement replacement from 5% of MRSG residue and 5% of SF gives an optimum strength compared to the control specimen with 24.6 MPa and 25.8 MPa, respectively. In addition, the increased percentage of MRSG residue, increased the water absorption of the mix. The replacement of MRSG residue in concrete would not only provide economic relief but also help to create a sustainable and pollution-free environment as the disposing of this waste creates many inconveniences to the living organism.

Abstract: The high activity of offices, households or industries causes a lot of waste and it’s still a major problem that requires a solution with minimal impact. The combustion process is an alternative method of effective waste treatment. Incineration is a solid waste treatment process by burning at more than 800°C to reduce combustible waste that cannot be recycled, kill bacteria, viruses and toxic chemicals. Currently, the use of incinerator technology requires a lot of combustion energy from fuel oil or gas, so the operational costs are high and the the unit price is relatively very expensive. Incinerator’s design without a combustion engine, it is hoped that will save combustion energy to minimize operationals and production costs of the incinerator. The incinerator design process provides the type and yield of the incinerator, operating conditions, and the basic size of the reactor shaped of a cylindrical with a diameter of 24 cm and a height of 50 cm. The incinerator prototype construction uses assembly techniques and basic welding for metal materials and refractory cement casting. Incinerator’s Prototype testings show that the incinerator is capable to burn several types of waste, including: plastic, paper, wood, organic waste, etc. where the incinerator's combustion chamber temperature can reach 1091^OC. The incinerator’s capacity will accommodate 10 kg of waste while the processing time varies according to the kind of waste.

Abstract: Plastic waste disposal is among the most challenging problems of the current era. Therefore, new methods and applications for the utilization of waste plastics are increasingly needed. To find them, it is essential to research and develop the material properties of recycled plastics. The effect of different ultraviolet light (UV) stabilizers on the color stability, melt properties and tensile properties of mixed waste plastics blends was studied in this paper. The mixed waste plastics collected from two different waste sources were prepared as specimens by injection molding, and studied with two different types and loading amounts of UV stabilizers. UV absorbers (UVAs) and hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) were used as UV stabilizers. A specimen produced without the addition of a UV stabilizer was used as a reference specimen of both the blends. After the accelerated weathering, the addition of a UVA provided an improved, smaller change in color than the addition of HALS. Among the tensile properties, the addition of UV stabilizers clearly improved the tensile strength and tensile modulus for almost all the studied specimens. Additionally, the melt properties of both the studied plastic blends were found to be increased by the addition of UV stabilizers.

Abstract: Spent mushroom compost is identified as waste substrate. As the mushroom agriculture industry is growing rapidly, the production also increases and contributes to large amounts of spent mushroom compost annually. The conversion of spent mushroom compost as waste to wealth is a great concept that can give value to agricultural industry and solid waste management of mushroom cultivation. The use of SMC as nurient supplement may reduce the production cost for in vitro culture of fig plant. This research is to study the use of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm. spent mushroom compost (SMC) as a nutrient supplement of the media in shoot induction of fig plant. Nodal segment of fig’s stem was cultured in MS media supplemented with different concentrations of SMC. With presence of SMC, 10% SMC have the highest shoot proliferation (2.167 ± 1.169) and length of shoot (0.154 ± 0.060 cm). The study revealed that in presence of 10% of SMC could produce new shoots at a frequency which was comparable to the control (p<0.05; n=3; Tukey’s multiple range test). Among the different media combinations of plant growth regulators with SMC, 15 μM Kinetin with 10% SMC is the most effective treatment which gave maximum number of shoot proliferation (3.00 ± 1.27). 30 μM IAA with 10% SMC media have the highest leaves regenerated which were 1.33 ± 0.84. In conclusion, the SMC added in media for plant tissue culture had positive effect on shoot induction thus highlighted the potential of waste substrate of SMC to act as nutrient supplement for plant tissue culture.

Abstract: In the field of sustainable construction materials, the production of eco-friendly concretes, obtained by the addition of waste products such as biochar and recycled polymer particles, offers interesting alternatives to traditional materials. Biochar is a carbonaceous solid by-product obtained from the thermo-chemical conversion of biomass and its addition into concrete admixtures can offer an eco-friendly carbon sequestration solution, capable to slightly improve concrete properties. Recycled polymer materials can be used to partially replace conventional aggregates with the aim of obtaining lighter concretes that help to face the disposal challenge presented by this non-degradable plastic waste. However, the influence of these waste additions on the corrosion behavior of steel rebars embedded in these “eco-concretes” is still unexplored. Within this context, this work presents some results of an extensive study dealing with the concrete mechanical and physical properties and the rebar corrosion resistance during cyclic exposures to chloride-containing solutions.

Abstract: Carbon-based materials are widely used in various fields such as wastewater treatment, gas sensing, and energy storage applications. In this study, waste peanut shell (PSH), available in Egypt, were transformed into useful materials by physical, chemical, and thermal treatments. The physical properties of materials from the different processing combinations were investigated. The activated (APSH), carbonized (CPSH), and activated/carbonized (A/CPSH) forms were successfully prepared. The prepared solids were characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRD, and nitrogen gas adsorption. Ball milling at 5 runs for 45 min resulted in 84 wt% of the ground PSH passing through the 212 μm mesh. Accordingly, the activation, carbonization, and activation/carbonization increased the surface areas of resulting solids by 6, 34, and 580 times, respectively. Among the materials prepared, the activated/carbonized PSH had a mean pore diameter of 1.9 nm, mesoporous material, and the highest electrical conductivity of 0.0042 Ω^-1cm^-1. This PSH is available as adsorbent in water treatment and materials for gas sensing and energy storage.

Abstract: Microparticles of sand silica have been mixed with biodegradable waste (polylactic acid) from the fused filament fabrication process to investigate the impact on the mechanical properties. The composite mixtures were prepared using different compositions via a twin extrusion machine. Mechanical characterization using the Tensile Testing Machine was performed. The peak strength values indicated that increasing silica composition increased the tensile strength from 62.8 MPa at 0 wt% to 121.03 MPa at 10 wt%. However, a drop was observed beyond this point. It was concluded that for the yield strength, toughness, and failure strain, a similar trend was observed, and the values of the material increased up to 10 wt%, which corresponds to the increased mechanical property of the mixtures with reinforcement of silica microparticles. It is demonstrated that the mechanical properties have been improved for the processed material attributing to the impact of the recycling process of the polylactic acid from leftover 3D printing waste and promoting its potential reuse in the same application.

Abstract: Particles of waste from plastic medical syringes (WPMS) are recycled with a polymeric adhesive from unsaturated polyester resin (UPS) to manufacture structural profiles at the lowest cost, and that could be used in various applications such as buildings, furniture manufacturing, toys, etc. The manual molding method was used in preparing the models for testing with the following volumetric fractions (0%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%), and with a granular size of (0.45mm) of WPMS). Some tests were performed on the prepared samples, including mechanical ones, tests included are (tensile test, bending test, and hardness test), in addition to the physical test, which is (thermal conductivity),The results of the mechanical tests showed an increase in the values of mechanical properties of (tensile strength, the flexural modulus, and hardness) as the volumetric ratios of (WPMS) particles increased. Whereas, the thermal conductivity values decreased as the volumetric ratios of (WPMS) particles increased. Given that this is the first time that this type of waste is used in manufacturing structural profiles at a low-cost in exchange for less harms to the environment. Keywords: Waste, Recycling, low-cost structures, plastic syringes, unsaturated polyester adhesive.