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Medical Waste Treatment Technologies for Energy, Fuels, and Materials Production: A Review

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  • Georgios Giakoumakis

    (Laboratory of Simulation of Industrial Processes, Department of Industrial Management and Technology, School of Maritime and Industrial Studies, University of Piraeus, 80 Karaoli & Dimitriou, GR 18534 Piraeus, Greece)

  • Dorothea Politi

    (Laboratory of Simulation of Industrial Processes, Department of Industrial Management and Technology, School of Maritime and Industrial Studies, University of Piraeus, 80 Karaoli & Dimitriou, GR 18534 Piraeus, Greece)

  • Dimitrios Sidiras

    (Laboratory of Simulation of Industrial Processes, Department of Industrial Management and Technology, School of Maritime and Industrial Studies, University of Piraeus, 80 Karaoli & Dimitriou, GR 18534 Piraeus, Greece)

Abstract

The importance of medical waste management has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the increase in medical waste quantity and the significant dangers of these highly infected wastes for human health and the environment. This innovative review focuses on the possibility of materials, gas/liquid/solid fuels, thermal energy, and electric power production from medical waste fractions. Appropriate and promising treatment/disposal technologies, such as (i) acid hydrolysis, (ii) acid/enzymatic hydrolysis, (iii) anaerobic digestion, (vi) autoclaving, (v) enzymatic oxidation, (vi) hydrothermal carbonization/treatment, (vii) incineration/steam heat recovery system, (viii) pyrolysis/Rankine cycle, (ix) rotary kiln treatment, (x) microwave/steam sterilization, (xi) plasma gasification/melting, (xii) sulfonation, (xiii) batch reactor thermal cracking, and (xiv) torrefaction, were investigated. The medical waste generation data were collected according to numerous researchers from various countries, and divided into gross medical waste and hazardous medical waste. Moreover, the medical wastes were separated into categories and types according to the international literature and the medical waste fractions’ percentages were estimated. The capability of the examined medical waste treatment technologies to produce energy, fuels, and materials, and eliminate the medical waste management problem, was very promising with regard to the near future.

Suggested Citation

  • Georgios Giakoumakis & Dorothea Politi & Dimitrios Sidiras, 2021. "Medical Waste Treatment Technologies for Energy, Fuels, and Materials Production: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-30, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:23:p:8065-:d:693445
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shuwen Zhao & Guojian Ma & Juan Ding, 2023. "Symbiotic Mechanism of Multiple Subjects for the Resource-Based Disposal of Medical Waste in China in the Post-Pandemic Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19, January.
    2. Thobile Zikhathile & Harrison Atagana & Joseph Bwapwa & David Sawtell, 2022. "A Review of the Impact That Healthcare Risk Waste Treatment Technologies Have on the Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Anastasios Sepetis & Paraskevi N. Zaza & Fotios Rizos & Pantelis G. Bagos, 2022. "Identifying and Predicting Healthcare Waste Management Costs for an Optimal Sustainable Management System: Evidence from the Greek Public Sector," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-20, August.
    4. Jing Jia & Wenhao Wang & Lvjiang Yin & Jin Liu & Antony Mutua Nzioka & Caozheng Yan, 2022. "Cost–Benefit Analysis of Introducing Custom-Made Small Thermal-Frictional Sterilization System to the Existing Hospital Waste Disposal System: A Case Study of Chinese Hospital," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, October.

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