Sustainable Use of Coffee Husks For Reinforcing Polyethylene Composites

The utilization of the coffee husk fiber (CHF) from the coffee industry as a reinforcing filler in the preparation of a cost-effective thermoplastic based composite was explored in this study. The chemical composition and thermal properties of the CHF were investigated and compared with those of wood fiber (WF). CHF proved to be mainly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, and exhibited similar thermal behavior to WF. High density polyethylene (HDPE) composites with CHF loadings of from 40 to 70% were prepared using melt processing and extrusion. The processing properties, mechanical behavior, water absorption and thermal performance of these composites were investigated. The effect of maleated polyethylene (MAPE) used as a coupling agent on the composite was explored. The experimental results showed that increasing the CHF loading in the HDPE matrix resulted in an increase in the modulus and thermal properties of the composites, but resulted in poor water resistance. The addition of a 4% MAPE significantly improved the interfacial behavior of the hydrophilic lignocellulosic fiber and the hydrophobic polymer matrix.     

Epoxidised Natural Rubber Filled Spent Coffee Ground Green Biocomposites

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - This study investigates the influence of spent coffee (SC), and potassium hydroxide (KOH) modified spent coffee (ACT-SC) as fillers on the mechanical and...     

Development and Application of Green Composites: Using Coffee Ground and Bamboo Flour

Environmental degradation and global warming are increasing as a result of the use of petroleum. Therefore, many industries are seeking more eco-friendly materials that will decrease the level of environmental contamination and economic cost. Recently, the level of coffee consumption has increased rapidly. Therefore, the amount of coffee grounds discarded is increasing. In this study, polylactic acid, coffee grounds and bamboo flour were compounded for green composites. Coffee grounds are used in the recycling of food waste. In addition, 4,4-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) was used as a coupling agent. The mechanical strength of green composites decreased with increasing natural filler content. However, mechanical and thermal properties were increased by the addition of MDI as a coupling agent. The hydroxyl groups of natural fillers reacted with the isocyanate group of MDI, and a urethane linkage was created between the polymer and natural fillers.     

Coffee husk composting: An investigation of the process using molecular and non-molecular tools

Various parameters were measured during a 90-day composting process of coffee husk with cow dung (Pile 1), with fruit/vegetable wastes (Pile 2) and coffee husk alone (Pile 3). Samples were collected on days 0, 32 and 90 for chemical and microbiological analyses. C/N ratios of Piles 1 and 2 decreased significantly over the 90 days. The highest bacterial counts at the start of the process and highest actinobacterial counts at the end of the process (Piles 1 and 2) indicated microbial succession with concomitant production of compost relevant enzymes. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of rDNA and COMPOCHIP microarray analysis indicated distinctive community shifts during the composting process, with day 0 samples clustering separately from the 32 and 90-day samples. This study, using a multi-parameter approach, has revealed differences in quality and species diversity of the three composts.     

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Coffee Capsule Recycling Process and Its Composites Reinforced with Natural Fibers

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The present research aims to propose a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) between the coffee capsules recycling process and the process of obtaining...     

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)/Starch Bioactive Packaging Film Enriched with Antioxidants from Spent Coffee Ground and Citric Acid

The bioactive packaging polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/starch films were prepared by incorporating combined antioxidant agents i.e. extracted spent coffee ground (ex-SCG) and citric acid. Effect of citric acid content on chemical compatibility, releasing of antioxidant, antibacterial activities, and physical and mechanical properties of PVA/starch incorporated ex-SCG (PSt-E) films was studied. The results of ATR-FTIR spectra showed that antioxidant agents of ex-SCG can penetrate into the film and the ester bond of blended films by citric acid was also observed. The presence of ex-SCG increased efficiency of antioxidant release and antimicrobial activity. The PSt-E film incorporated 30 wt% citric acid showed minimum inhibitory concentration against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The incorporation of ex-SCG and citric acid into film showed a synergistic effect on antibacterial activity. The water resistance and kinetic moisture sorption improved with incorporation of citric acid. The tensile strength and biodegradability of samples were in range of 5.63–7.44 MPa and 65.28–86.64%, respectively. Based on this study, PSt-E film incorporated 30 wt% citric acid can be applied as novel food packaging materials.     

资源循环科学与工程专业课程体系优化与教学内容创新实践的探索

针对资源循环科学与工程本科专业课程教学,以西安建筑科技大学该专业课程体系为案例,通过对毕业生和专业研讨会调研,分析了课程体系建设的现状和存在的问题。借鉴其他高校资源专业的课程体系和教学内容,通过梳理各门专业课程的教学内容和相互联系,构建了资源专业课程体系课程群,探索了课程体系优化的方法和增加创新实践环节的具体措施。     

人工湿地构造及生物因素研究进展

介绍了近10年报道的不同构造人工湿地(CW)的污水处理性能及CW中微生物、植物、动物的相关研究进展.分析了各种CW构造优缺点、CW与其他技术的结合、CW微生物群落的特征、影响因素和研究手段、CW植物与动物对CW处理性能的贡献及作用机制.提出今后应重点研究:复合人工湿地(ICW)工艺优化;CW强化技术及其参数;CW微生物...     

废钢铁在钢铁行业中应用前景研究

废钢铁是我国物资回收与再生资源利用体系中的重要资源,也是非常重要的战略性资源,是钢铁工业最主要的两种原料之一(另一种是铁矿石)。与铁矿石相比,废钢铁更符合绿色可持续发展的需要和钢铁行业超低排放政策的要求,未来废钢铁资源在钢铁工业发展中的重要性可能会不断提升。着重探讨了未来10年废钢铁资源产生量的变化趋势,以及对钢铁工业原料结构变化的影响。未来中国的废钢铁资源可能不仅能满足自身钢铁工业发展的需要,同时也可能为世界钢铁工业的发展提供重要的原料。     

解读《关于深入推进重点行业清洁生产审核工作的通知》

2020年10月16日,生态环境部和国家发改委联合发布了《关于深入推进重点行业清洁生产审核工作的通知》(环办科财〔2020〕27号)(《通知》),以进一步加强清洁生产审核在重点行业节能减排和升级改造中的支撑作用,促进形成绿色发展方式,推动经济高质量发展.本文在分析《通知》出台的背景和意义的基础上,对清洁生产审核工作的顶...     

To Dredge or Not

The streams, rivers, freshwater lakes, and coastal and open ocean waters of the world have been used for centuries for the disposal of municipal and industrial wastes. During the twentieth century, the range and quantities of waste materials discharged to the world's fresh and salt waters have grown progressively, increasing the potential ecological and human health impacts. The types and quantities of organic and inorganic wastes reaching the surface waters and associated sediments have increased in proportion to a region's or nation's population and industrial growth. Many of the contaminaants deliberately or inadvertently discharged to waterways are hydrophobic, are not biodegradable, or are highly resistant to degradation resulting in the accumulation of organic and inorganic substances in the waters, bottom, and suspended sediments of impacted waterways. Because of their persistence, these compounds and trace metals bioaccumulate and bioconcentreate in the aquatic organisms that occupy the affected waterway. Because many of the discharged waste materials are relatively insoluble and readily sorb to particles, the bottom and suspended sediments will commonly have higher contaminant concentrations than the associated overlying waters. Concentrations will normally decrease downstream of the contaminant source areas due to inputs and dilution by sediments and waters from cleaner tributaries. Although the sediments will normally have the higher concentrations, considerable quantities of contaminants may be found in the aqueous phase requiring not only removal of the solids, but treatment of the associated water as well. This is particularly the case when the water to solids recovered during dredging may approach 10:1. Many of the persistent contaminants impacting a nation's waterways are readily sorbed to the finer‐grained, organic rich sediments. Reaches of rivers and streams, or areas amenable to deposition of organic rich clays and silts, result in the creation of “hot spots” of contamination, localized areas where higher contaminant concentrations are found. It is these “hot spots” that are at the center of a debate over whether to dredge or leave the contaminated sediments undisturbed to allow natural attenuation to work. It is well recognized that dredging is not able to remove all of the contaminated sediments; some portion of the resuspended sediments created during the dredgirg will be dispersed downstream. The issue is whether to physically removeportions of the mass of contaminants impacting waterwa‐ys or rely on natural attenuation. Environmental dredging is expensive and many argue not worth the effort because of the lack of effective technologies that will prevent redistribution of the material resuspended as apart oJthe dredging process and management of associated water. Opponents of dredging cite natural attenuation and burial by cleaner sediments as eflective mechanisms to reduce the concentration of contaminants. Dredgingproponents argue the contaminant sources and accumulated hot spots must be removed in order to accelerate ecological recovery of the impacted waterway as well as reduce impacts to the environment and to public heulth. During thc next several years, decisions will be made by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agemy (USEPA) on whether to dredge major and minor waterways involving millions of cubic yards of contaminatedsedinaents requiring expenditures of hundreds of millions oj‐dollars by the responsible parties. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Innc.     

“城市矿产”资源化园区建设要点与流程分析

面对原生资源的枯竭和工业化发展的双重压力,开发“城市矿产”,开辟资源新路,是社会发展的必然需求。介绍了“城市矿产”等资源化园区的形式特点和资源种类,论述了建设园区的必要性和意义,并对建设要点和流程做了概要性分析。     

建筑可持续发展视角下供应链协调与社会责任共担机理研究方案架构

基于建筑全生命周期这个主线,建筑可持续发展视角下供应链协调与社会责任共担机理研究,以绿色建筑供应链运行效率为导向,以既有建筑节能改造效率为切入点,以产业链过程中各主体行为规律为基础,采用“总-分-合”的基本研究思路模式,聚焦了“主导企业驱动下绿色建筑供应链协调机理与策略、既有建筑节能改造主体社会责任共担机理、建筑废弃物再生利用产业链主体社会责任共担机理”等三部分核心内容,初步形成建筑可持续发展视角下供应链协调与社会责任共担机理的理论体系。本成果采用“总-分-合”的思路模式,基于循环经济理念和主体行为策略视角,遵循研究的学理逻辑,以研究生学位论文为基础,开展“主导企业驱动下绿色建筑供应链协调机理与策略、既有建筑节能改造主体社会责任共担机理、建筑废弃物再生利用产业链主体社会责任共担机理”3个子课题研究,从系统整体概况实施全面研究规划着手,构架了总括、绿色建筑供应链协调机理、既有建筑节能改造主体社会责任共担、建筑废弃物再生利用社会责任共担、总结等五大模块及上中下三大篇共12章的系统体系。     

Analytical determination of the suitability of different processes for the treatment of odorous waste gas

In order to determine the efficiency of different treatment systems for the reduction of odorous emissions, a gas chromatographic method followed by simultaneous mass spectrometry and olfactometry (GC-MS/O) was developed. Samples from a coffee bean roasting and a fat and oil processing plant were analyzed, respectively. The results were compared with the data obtained by olfactometric measurements. At a coffee bean roasting plant, cooling gases were analyzed prior to and after treatment in a full scale bioscrubber. The GC-MS/O analysis showed that the amounts of aldehydes and ketones decreased after treatment of cooling gases of coffee bean roasting in the bioscrubber, whereas the contents of the heterocyclic compounds, like pyridine and the pyrazines, and acetophenone and guaiacol remained almost unchanged. The amounts of dimethyl disulfide, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, and the carboxylic acids increased after bioscrubber treatment. Furthermore, the performance of each stage of a combined experimental plant for the treatment of exhaust air of fat and oil processing was investigated. This treatment plant consisted of a bioscrubber, a biofilter, and an activated carbon adsorber. The important odor-active compounds of the exhaust air of fat and oil processing were the typical fat oxidation products (aldehydes, ketones) and with lower importance 2-pentylfuran, a few terpenes and aromates. Again, the key odor-active compounds, aldehydes and ketones, were degraded in the bioscrubber. Further degradation of aliphatic, unsaturated, methylated, and cyclic alkanes, as well as aromates, terpenes, and furans by the biofilter was observed. After the last treatment stage, the activated carbon filter, only small amounts of aliphatic, unsaturated, methylated, and cyclic alkanes and aromates remained in the waste gas. For both applications, the results of the developed GC-MS/O method correlated very well with olfactometric measurements.     

Element partitioning in combustion- and gasification-based waste-to-energy units

A critical comparison between combustion- and gasification-based waste-to-energy systems needs a deep knowledge of the mass flows of materials and elements inside and throughout the units. The study collected and processed data from several moving grate conventional incinerators and high-temperature shaft gasifiers with direct melting, which are in operation worldwide. A material and substance flow analysis was then developed to systematically assess the flows and stocks of materials and elements within each waste-to-energy unit, by connecting the sources, pathways, and intermediate and final sinks of each species. The patterns of key elements, such as carbon, chloride and heavy metals, in the different solid and gaseous output streams of the two compared processes have been then defined. The combination of partitioning coefficients with the mass balances on atomic species and results of mineralogical characterization from recent literatures was used to estimate a composition of bottom ashes and slags from the two types of waste-to-energy technologies. The results also allow to quantify some of the performance parameters of the units and, in particular, the potential reduction of the amount of solid residues to be sent to final disposal.     

关于CCUS技术发展与标准建设的思考

我国CCUS技术发展,迫切需要政策制度的积极引导和技术标准的强力支撑。阐述了我国发展CCUS技术的基本原则和相关政策;跟踪了国内外CCUS技术发展动态及其标准研究现状;重点分析了美国及欧盟在CCS相关政策、法规和标准方面的主要成果;依据我国CCUS发展规划和技术发展路线图,提出了我国CCUS技术发展与标准建设的相关建议。     

Characterizing soils contaminated with heavy metals: A uranium contamination case study

To stem rising remediation costs for soils contaminated with hazardous metals, increased emphasis is being placed on the development of in-situ and ex-situ treatment technologies. Often, a lack of basic information on the chemical and physical characteristics of the soil and contaminants hampers treatability studies used to design these technologies. This article proposes and demonstrates a characterization program to meet these information needs, employing standard analytical techniques coupled with advanced spectroscopy and microscopy techniques. To support treatments involving physical separation strategies, the program uses standard analytical techniques to characterize the soil and the association of contaminants with different soil fractions (e.g., size and density fractions). Where chemical treatments are required, spectroscopy and microscopy methods are employed to yield quantitative information on the oxidation state and speciation of the contaminant. Examples demonstrate the use of measured soil and contaminant characteristics in the screening of alternative treatment technologies and in the selection of soils for use in treatability studies. Also demonstrated is the use of these characterization tools in the design and optimization of treatment strategies and in support of risk assessment determinations.     

Combustion kinetics of sewage sludge and combustible wastes

This study estimated the kinetics of the mono- and co-combustion of sewage sludge pellets and combustible wastes such as municipal solid waste (MSW) and refuse-derived fuel (RDF). Sewage sludge was manufactured into pellets with a diameter of 8, 12, or 16 mm and a length of 30 mm. The RDF was composed of paper and plastics and was formed into pellets with a diameter of 8 mm and a length of 30 mm. MSW samples were synthesized using combustible wastes such as garbage, paper, plastics, and wood. The MSW was adjusted to have a moisture content of around 40% after shredding to under 10 mm. A laboratory-scale batch type stoker incinerator was used for the combustion and the gas composition of the flue gas was measured. The activation energy was calculated using the experimental results, and then the relation of the decomposition rate and reaction time was evaluated using the shrinking core model. The decomposition rate of the sludge pellets decreased as their diameter and moisture content increased, and the co-combustion of sludge pellets and combustible waste was affected by the amount of combustible waste. The individual combustion rates of the cylindrical sludge pellets or RDF were mainly controlled by the chemical reaction, but in the case of shredded MSW it was mostly influenced by gas diffusion. The rate for the co-combustion of sludge pellets and combustible wastes was mainly determined by the combustion rate of the combustible waste. The activation energy of the 8-mm-diameter sludge pellets was between 6.70 and 10.0 kcal/mol, according to the moisture content, but it was lower for MSW and RDF. In the case of MSW co-combustion, the reaction rate accelerated as the moisture content of the sludge pellets decreased, but it was markedly increased by the addition of RDF, regardless of the sludge moisture content.