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A Recent Review on Synthesis, Potential Environmental Applications and Socio-Economic Impact of Waste-Derived Carbon Nanotubes
Published in Swamini Chopra, Kavita Pande, Vincent Shantha Kumar, Jitendra A. Sharma, Novel Applications of Carbon Based Nano-Materials, 2023
Sakshi Kabra Malpani, Ajay Kumar, Rena Hada, Deepti Goyal
Plastic waste is considered the most substantial and challenging non-biodegradable waste material in the world. Globally, it is now included as the major component in solid waste with an annual production of about 150 million tons. To utilize this abundant waste, many countries have initiated safe disposal at the household level and its recycling. Some most common plastic materials used in everyday life are polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and nylon. Efforts are being made not only to constrain the generation of plastic wastes and associated spoiling but also to find ways of utilizing them sustainably. These polymeric wastes can be recycled and reused in different environmental applications, such as for the synthesis of CBNs (graphenes and CNTs) composites, polymers, construction materials, paper, etc. Although the synthesis of these materials is time and energy-consuming due to high carbon content, economic, eco-friendly and self-sustaining production of CNTs can be still achieved.
Biotechnological Advancements in the Treatment of Plastic Wastes
Published in S Rangabhashiyam, V Ponnusami, Pardeep Singh, Biotechnological Approaches in Waste Management, 2023
Daniel Joe Dailin, Luo Zaini Mohd Izwan Low, Nurul Zahidah Nordin, Nur Izyan Wan Azelee, Shanmugaprakasham Selvamani, Vasantha M. Nayagam, Dayang Norulfairuz Abang Zaidel, Hesham Ali El Enshasy
Degradation of plastics involves complex processes that depend on multiple communities of microorganisms, and the intricacies of plastic breakdown have been widely discussed over the last few decades (Lucas et al., 2008; Ru et al., 2020; Shah et al., 2008; Venkatesh et al., 2021). The large varieties and diverse mechanisms of these microbes have recently been extensively reviewed by Ru et.al. (Ru et al., 2020) and these authors have clearly illustrated that plastic degradation is multifaceted. Plastic is a collective term that describes long-chain polymers which are lightweight yet strong, corrosion-resistant, and durable. They can encompass distinctly different forms such as PE, PVC, and polyurethane (PU). Thus, it is not too difficult to grasp that each of these polymer types may require different sets of microbes and conditions for their degradation.
Ecology aspect of CSR—What is the social plastic?
Published in Zoltán Bartha, Tekla Szép, Katalin Lipták, Dóra Szendi, Entrepreneurship in the Raw Materials Sector, 2022
Plastics and plastic packaging play a significant role in today’s production. Plastic is treated as a material that dominates our daily lives and can be produced relatively cheaply, and is therefore used in significant scales by industry and households. Which means that plastic is becoming part of everyday life, part of the daily cycle. More and more plastic waste is being generated, which in many places has already led to an ecological disaster. Where it is not, it is also a big problem, as it is constantly polluting the environment and destroying people’s environment. Plastic is accumulating as a waste product. This is because it takes a long time to decompose. Plastic waste is generated at a much higher rate than it decomposes. Some types of plastic can take more than a hundred years to decompose.
A novel circular approach to analyze the challenges associated with micro-nano plastics and their sustainable remediation techniques
Published in Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 2023
Tejaswini Mssr, Pankaj Pathak, Lakhveer Singh, Deep Raj, D. K. Gupta
Plastic is a synthetic polymer comprising a long hydrocarbon chain and derived from nonrenewable resources (petrochemicals). It can be readily molded into several valuable products due to its easy availability, inexpensive, stability and higher durability.[1] The widely used plastics in the market are polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), PE terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) etc. However, rapid urbanization has increased the consumption of plastics and is leading to the accumulation of discarded plastics in the environment.[2] It is reported that ∼8,300 million tons per year of plastic have been generated, out of which 6,300 million tons per year are discarded as waste.[2] Globally, less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled, and the remaining is discarded in aquatic and terrestrial lands.[3] Borrelle et al.[4] have reported that ∼23 million tons per year of plastic waste have entered the oceans and are majorly contributed by developing countries, such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines.
Non-emission hydrothermal low-temperature synthesis of carbon nanomaterials from poly (ethylene terephthalate) plastic waste for excellent supercapacitor applications
Published in Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 2023
Moses Kigozi, Gabriel N. Kasozi, Sachin Balaso Mohite, Sizwe Zamisa, Rajshekhar Karpoormath, John Baptist Kirabira, Emmanuel Tebandeke
The escalating demand for plastic products is causing plastic litter management challenges due to their single-use practices, poor recycling policies, and slow environmental degradation, affecting soil and water quality (8). There is an urgent need to address the challenge of plastic waste management to minimize plastic waste littering. The recent accumulation of plastic garbage and its detrimental effects on the environment and public health is becoming more visible. Unlike organic garbage, this strewn plastic can take hundreds to thousands of years to disintegrate in nature. The strewn plastic debris clogs drain shortens the lifespan of animals when consumed, contaminates water bodies when dumped into rivers, lakes, and oceans, and causes respiratory problems when burned. Oceans are amassing plastic in miles-wide spinning gyres. Plastic can break down into tiny particles known as microplastics that are nearly impossible to recover, disrupt food chains, and harm natural environments when exposed to UV light from the sun and other sources (9). Proper waste management can help reduce plastic waste, reduce environmental pollution effects, and enhance the recycling of new materials.
Physical, rheological and microstructural properties of waste LDPE and TEOA modified bitumens
Published in Journal of the Chinese Institute of Engineers, 2022
Tacettin Geçkil, Ceren Beyza İnce, Mehmet Mahmut Tanyıldızı
As it is known, the most widely produced and used plastic types in the world are polyethylene terephthalate (PET), low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) (Alam et al. 2021; Almeida et al. 2020; Behl, Sharma, and Kumar 2014; Leng et al. 2018; Wu and Montalvo 2021). The vast majority of these plastics (nearly 40%) are composed of LDPE-based plastics, which have a shorter lifespan compared to other plastics and constitute 50% of the packaging industry (Almeida et al. 2020). LDPE is used in many areas varying from storage and laboratory containers to beverage cans, from computer parts to carrier bags used in shopping (Abhijith et al. 2019; Nejres, Mustafa, and Aldewachi 2020). LDPE, which has a 50–60% crystalline solid structure, is a material that is resistant to chemicals, opaque, odorless, heat-proof and has minimum vapor permeability. Due to the small amount of branching in the chain structure, it shows flexible properties even at low temperatures (Sen and Raut 2015).