IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i14p5934-d1433566.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainable Catalysts from Industrial FeO Waste for Pyrolysis and Oxidation of Hospital Polypropylene in Cartagena

Author

Listed:
  • Joaquín Hernandez-Fernandez

    (Department of Natural and Exact Science, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla 30300, Colombia
    Chemical Engineering Program, School of Engineering, Universidad Tecnológica de Bolivar, Parque Industrial y Tecnológico Carlos Vélez Pombo Km 1 Vía Turbaco, Cartagena 130001, Colombia
    Chemistry Program, Department of Natural and Exact Sciences, San Pablo Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena 130015, Colombia
    Grupo de Investigación GIA, Fundacion Universitaria Tecnologico Comfenalco, Cr 44 D N 30A, 91, Cartagena 30015, Colombia)

  • Juan Carrascal Sanchez

    (Grupo de Investigación GIA, Fundacion Universitaria Tecnologico Comfenalco, Cr 44 D N 30A, 91, Cartagena 30015, Colombia)

  • Juan Lopez Martinez

    (Institute of Materials Technology (ITM), Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV), Plaza Ferrandiz and Carbonell s/n, 03801 Alcoy, Alicante, Spain)

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, polypropylene waste generated in hospitals increased significantly. However, conventional strategies for the final disposal of environmental waste, such as incineration, proved inefficient due to the generation of toxic chemical species. In this research, these PP wastes were mixed with 1.5, 20, 150, 200, and 400 mg of iron oxide (FeO), extruded, and pelletized to obtain samples HW-PP-0, HW-PP-1, HW-PP-2, HW-PP-3, and HW-PP-4, respectively. XRF, TGA, and GC-MS characterized these samples. The samples were subjected to pyrolysis and thermo-oxidative degradation with controlled currents of nitrogen and oxygen. The characterization of the gases resulting from pyrolysis was carried out with a GC-MS, where the results showed that HW-PP-0 (mixed with 1.5 mg of FeO) presented the highest concentrations of alkanes (35.65%) and alkenes (63.7%), and the lowest levels of alkynes (0.3%), alcohols (0.12%), ketones (0.04%), and carboxylic acids (0.2%). The opposite was observed with the hospital waste HW-PP-4 (mixed with 400 mg of FeO), which presented the highest levels of alkynes (2.93%), alcohols (28.1%), ketones (9.8%), and carboxylic acids (8%). The effect of FeO on HW-PP-O during thermo-oxidative degradation generated values of alkanes (11%) and alkenes (30%) lower than those during pyrolysis. The results showed the catalytic power of FeO and its linear relationship with concentration. This research proposes the mechanisms that can explain the formation of different functional groups of various molecular weights which allow us to understand the presence of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, ketones, and carboxylic acids.

Suggested Citation

  • Joaquín Hernandez-Fernandez & Juan Carrascal Sanchez & Juan Lopez Martinez, 2024. "Sustainable Catalysts from Industrial FeO Waste for Pyrolysis and Oxidation of Hospital Polypropylene in Cartagena," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-21, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:14:p:5934-:d:1433566
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/14/5934/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/14/5934/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yao, Dingding & Wang, Chi-Hwa, 2020. "Pyrolysis and in-line catalytic decomposition of polypropylene to carbon nanomaterials and hydrogen over Fe- and Ni-based catalysts," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    2. Hao Yu & Xu Sun & Wei Deng Solvang & Xu Zhao, 2020. "Reverse Logistics Network Design for Effective Management of Medical Waste in Epidemic Outbreaks: Insights from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in Wuhan (China)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Min Su & Qiang Wang & Rongrong Li, 2021. "How to Dispose of Medical Waste Caused by COVID-19? A Case Study of China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Gabriele Cervino & Luca Fiorillo & Giovanni Surace & Valeria Paduano & Maria Teresa Fiorillo & Rosa De Stefano & Riccardo Laudicella & Sergio Baldari & Michele Gaeta & Marco Cicciù, 2020. "SARS-CoV-2 Persistence: Data Summary up to Q2 2020," Data, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-16, September.
    3. Eugenia Ama Andoh & Hao Yu, 2023. "A two-stage decision-support approach for improving sustainable last-mile cold chain logistics operations of COVID-19 vaccines," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 328(1), pages 75-105, September.
    4. Bae, Dasol & Kim, Yikyeom & Ko, Eun Hee & Ju Han, Seung & Lee, Jae W. & Kim, Minkyu & Kang, Dohyung, 2023. "Methane pyrolysis and carbon formation mechanisms in molten manganese chloride mixtures," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 336(C).
    5. Piotr Nowakowski & Sandra Kuśnierz & Patrycja Sosna & Jakub Mauer & Dawid Maj, 2020. "Disposal of Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic Is a Challenge for Waste Collection Companies and Society: A Case Study in Poland," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-11, September.
    6. Kangye Tan & Yihui Tian & Fang Xu & Chunsheng Li, 2023. "Research on Multi-Objective Optimal Scheduling for Power Battery Reverse Supply Chain," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-26, February.
    7. Sina Shaffiee Haghshenas & Behrouz Pirouz & Sami Shaffiee Haghshenas & Behzad Pirouz & Patrizia Piro & Kyoung-Sae Na & Seo-Eun Cho & Zong Woo Geem, 2020. "Prioritizing and Analyzing the Role of Climate and Urban Parameters in the Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Based on Artificial Intelligence Applications," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-21, May.
    8. Milad Mohammadi & Alibakhsh Nikzad, 2023. "Sustainable and reliable closed-loop supply chain network design during pandemic outbreaks and disruptions," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 969-991, June.
    9. Luca Fiorillo & Gabriele Cervino & Marco Matarese & Cesare D’Amico & Giovanni Surace & Valeria Paduano & Maria Teresa Fiorillo & Antonio Moschella & Alessia La Bruna & Giovanni Luca Romano & Riccardo , 2020. "COVID-19 Surface Persistence: A Recent Data Summary and Its Importance for Medical and Dental Settings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-10, April.
    10. Esin Balci & Sezin Balci & Aysun Sofuoglu, 2022. "Multi-purpose reverse logistics network design for medical waste management in a megacity: Istanbul, Turkey," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 372-387, September.
    11. Xia, Sunwen & Yang, Haiping & Lu, Wang & Cai, Ning & Xiao, Haoyu & Chen, Xu & Chen, Yingquan & Wang, Xianhua & Wang, Shurong & Wu, Peng & Chen, Hanping, 2022. "Fe–Co based synergistic catalytic graphitization of biomass: Influence of the catalyst type and the pyrolytic temperature," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PC).
    12. Florin-Constantin Mihai, 2020. "Assessment of COVID-19 Waste Flows During the Emergency State in Romania and Related Public Health and Environmental Concerns," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-18, July.
    13. Amin Eshkiti & Fatemeh Sabouhi & Ali Bozorgi-Amiri, 2023. "A data-driven optimization model to response to COVID-19 pandemic: a case study," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 328(1), pages 337-386, September.
    14. Maleki, Abolfazl & Hemmati, Vahid & Reza Abazari, Seyed & Aghsami, Amir & Rabbani, Masoud, 2024. "Optimal distribution and waste management of Covid-19 vaccines from vaccination centers’ satisfaction perspective – A fuzzy time window-based VRP," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    15. Guojian Ma & Juan Ding & Youqing Lv, 2022. "SEIR Evolutionary Game Model Applied to the Evolution and Control of the Medical Waste Disposal Crisis in China during the COVID-19 Outbreak," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-18, September.
    16. Yin Ting Chu & Jianzhao Zhou & Yuan Wang & Yue Liu & Jingzheng Ren, 2023. "Current State, Development and Future Directions of Medical Waste Valorization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-28, January.
    17. Seyyed-Mahdi Hosseini-Motlagh & Mohammad Reza Ghatreh Samani & Behnam Karimi, 2023. "Resilient and social health service network design to reduce the effect of COVID-19 outbreak," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 328(1), pages 903-975, September.
    18. Xia, Sunwen & Yang, Haiping & Lei, shuaishuai & Lu, Wang & Cai, Ning & Xiao, Haoyu & Chen, Yingquan & Chen, Hanping, 2023. "Iron salt catalytic pyrolysis of biomass: Influence of iron salt type," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PA).
    19. Dong, Hao & Fang, Juan & Yan, Xiangyu & Lu, Buchu & Liu, Qibin & Liu, Xunliang, 2024. "Experimental investigation of solar hydrogen production via photo-thermal driven steam methane reforming," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 368(C).
    20. Masłowski Dariusz & Kulińska Ewa & Salwin Mariusz & Pawlas Karolina & Kulińska-Jachowska Karolina, 2022. "Impact of policy regulations on the functioning of hospitals in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative analysis," International Journal of Management and Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, vol. 58(2), pages 192-217, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:14:p:5934-:d:1433566. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.