scholarly journals Facemask Global Challenges: The Case of Effective Synthesis, Utilization, and Environmental Sustainability

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 737
Author(s):  
Kamyar Shirvanimoghaddam ◽  
Bożena Czech ◽  
Ram Yadav ◽  
Cemile Gokce ◽  
Laura Fusco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Severe Pneumonia ◽  
Synthetic Polymers ◽  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
New Class ◽  
Clinical Observations ◽  
Viable Solution ◽  
Effective Synthesis ◽  
Closed Environment

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused a rapidly spreading pandemic and is severely threatening public health globally. The human-to-human transmission route of SARS-CoV-2 is now well established. The reported clinical observations and symptoms of this infection in humans appear in the range between being asymptomatic and severe pneumonia. The virus can be transmitted through aerosols and droplets that are released into the air by a carrier, especially when the person coughs, sneezes, or talks forcefully in a closed environment. As the disease progresses, the use and handling of contaminated personal protective equipment and facemasks have become major issues with significant environmental risks. Therefore, providing an effective method for treating used/contaminated facemasks is crucial. In this paper, we review the environmental challenges and risks associated with the surge in facemask production. We also discuss facemasks and their materials as sources of microplastics and how disposal procedures can potentially lead to the contamination of water resources. We herein review the potential of developing nanomaterial-based antiviral and self-cleaning facemasks. This review discusses these challenges and concludes that the use of sustainable and alternative facemask materials is a promising and viable solution. In this context, it has become essential to address the emerging challenges by developing a new class of facemasks that are effective against the virus, while being biodegradable and sustainable. This paper represents the potentials of natural and/or biodegradable polymers for manufacturing facemasks, such as wood-based polymers, chitosan, and other biodegradable synthetic polymers for achieving sustainability goals during and after pandemics.

scholarly journals Effects of climate change on environmental sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol 250 ◽  
pp. 01005
Author(s):  
Manuela Tvaronavičienė
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Industrial Pollution ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Viable Solution ◽  
The World

Adaptation strategies to the climate change include measures that can be taken to take account of the new climatic conditions. This paper aims at assessing the effects of climate change on environmental sustainability. This sustainability constitutes a major problem in many countries and regions around the world that experience industrial pollution, degradation of land as well as natural disasters caused by the global warming. The paper shows that adaptation strategies are often parallel strategies that can be integrated simultaneously with the management of natural resources. They can make resources more efficient and resilient to climate change. The paper shows that reducing the carbon footprint by more than 50 percent by 2030 and eliminating it by 2050 might be a viable solution how to tackle the climate change and support the environmental sustainability.

Health Effects of the Alkylbenzenes. II. Ylenes

1989 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence K. Low ◽  
J. Ralph Meeks ◽  
Carl R. Mackerer
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Membered Ring ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Boiling Points ◽  
Alkyl Groups ◽  
Fuel Evaporation

The alkylbenzenes are a class of six-membered ring aromatic compounds that have a variety of alkyl groups attached. These chemicals are liquids with relatively low boiling points used primarily as solvents or as starting materials in the synthesis of other chemicals and drugs. They are integral components of gasoline, distillate fuels and other petroleum products and are economically important in the chemical, petroleum, pharmaceutical, polymer, paint and dye industries. Alkylbenzenes such as toluene, the xylenes, ethylbenzene, styrene and cumene are produced and utilized in large quantities and therefore, present the possibility of exposure to humans and to wildlife. Fortunately, the toxicity of alkylbenzenes has been found to be rather low and therefore, the human and environmental risks are probably low. In modern industrial activities, exposures to the alkylbenzenes are minimized by workplace controls or personal protective equipment which meet guidelines for maximum allowable exposure concentrations that have been established for the workplace. Nevertheless, considerable quantities of alkylbenzenes are released to the environment each year through solvent and fuel evaporation, accidental spills and misuse, and considerable toxicological infonnationfor these materials has appeared in the recent literature. This present paper, the second in a series reviewing the potential health effects of alkylbenzenes, covers the toxicology and disposition of the dimethyl-substituted benzenes (the .xylenes) in animals and man.

scholarly journals Enhancing Heat Treatment Conditions of Joints in Grade P91 Steel: Looking for More Sustainable Solutions

Metals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 495
Author(s):  
Vitor F. C. Sousa ◽  
Francisco J. G. Silva ◽  
António P. Pinho ◽  
António B. Pereira ◽  
Olga C. Paiva
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
P91 Steel ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
New Class ◽  
Treatment Conditions ◽  
Temperature And Pressure ◽  
Time And Energy ◽  
Made In

Grade P91 is a relatively new class of steel, which has received special attention from designers because it presents extremely interesting characteristics for specific applications. This steel exhibits ideal properties for demanding applications, especially involving high temperature and pressure, being employed in facilities such as power plants and other equipment, such as heat exchangers. P91 welds usually need heat treatments, which are already parameterized in the codes. However, standardized treatments are time-consuming and harmful to the environment, as they massively consume energy. Some attempts have been made in the past to reduce the time and energy spent on these treatments. This work aims to extend this study, now presenting better solutions than those obtained previously. This work presents four new conditions for the heat treatment of joints carried out on P91 steel, with a view to reducing processing time, reducing energy consumption, and an even better balance between mechanical strength and elongation after failure. Heat treatment conditions were established in which there was a loss of about 14% in Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS), but in which a gain of about 50% in elongation was obtained, compared to welding without any treatment, but also with 10% losses in the UTS and 30% gains in elongation when compared to the solution recommended as more correct in the codes, saving a lot of time and energy in the treatment process. Thus, these solutions may be adopted in the future with gains in terms of productivity and economic and environmental sustainability.

scholarly journals Development and Characterization of Polypropylene Waste from Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)-Derived Char-Filled Sugar Palm Starch Biocomposite Briquettes

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1707
Author(s):  
M. M. Harussani ◽  
S. M. Sapuan ◽  
Umer Rashid ◽  
A. Khalina
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Batch Reactor ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Hydraulic Press ◽  
The Other ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Combustion Properties ◽  
Thermal Combustion ◽  
Scanning Electron

Slow pyrolysis using a batch reactor at 450 °C was applied to the polypropylene (PP) powder derived from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) isolation gown waste to yield char briquettes, using sugar palm starch (SPS) and a manual hydraulic press. These studies are significant because of reductions in plastic waste from the preparation of barbecue coal due to environmental sustainability. The results presented here include the physical, morphological, thermal, combustion, and mechanical properties of char when reinforced with various percentages of SPS loadings (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40%), which act as a matrix/binder to produce char/sugar palm starch (C/SPS) composites. The physical and morphological characteristics of C/SPS composites were determined using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). On the other hand, the thermal and combustion properties of the C/SPS briquettes were studied via thermogravimetric and bomb calorimeter analysis. The results show that the compressive strength of the briquettes increased as the SPS loading increased, whereas the higher heating values (HHV) reduced. The findings indicate that C-80/SPS-20 briquettes presented excellent combustion characteristics (1,761,430 J/g) with satisfactory mechanical strength (1.463 MPa) in the compression test. Thus, C-80/SPS-20 briquettes are the most suitable composites for domestic and commercial uses.

scholarly journals Photocatalytic Treatments for Personal Protective Equipment: Experimental Microbiological Investigations and Perspectives for the Enhancement of Antimicrobial Activity by Micrometric TiO2

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8662
Author(s):  
Lory Marika Margarucci ◽  
Gianluca Gianfranceschi ◽  
Vincenzo Romano Spica ◽  
Giuseppe D’Ermo ◽  
Cristiano Refi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Light Exposure ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Light Radiation ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Waste Load

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to countries enforcing the use of facial masks to prevent contagion. However, acquisition, reuse, and disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE) has generated problems, in regard to the safety of individuals and environmental sustainability. Effective strategies to reprocess and disinfect PPE are needed to improve the efficacy and durability of this equipment and to reduce waste load. Thus, the addition of photocatalytic materials to these materials, combined with light exposure at specific wavelengths, may represent promising solutions. To this aim, we prepared a series of masks by depositing micrometer-sized TiO2 on the external surfaces; the masks were then contaminated with droplets of bacteria suspensions and the coatings were activated by light radiation at different wavelengths. A significant reduction in the microbial load (over 90%, p < 0.01) was observed using both Gram negative (E. coli) and Gram positive (S. aureus) bacteria within 15 min of irradiation, with UV or visible light, including sunlight or artificial sources. Our results support the need for further investigations on self-disinfecting masks and other disposable PPE, which could positively impact (i) the safety of operators/workers, and (ii) environmental sustainability in different occupational or recreational settings.

4. The Impacts of Deer Overabundance in Kingston Forest Ecosystems and Surrounding Areas

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen Burliuk ◽  
Michael Berman ◽  
Mahadev Bhalla ◽  
Bernard Burgesson ◽  
Georgia Cairns
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Urban Forest ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Trophic Relationships ◽  
Viable Solution ◽  
Preferred Species ◽  
Surrounding Areas

White-tailed deer are generalists who can adapt to a wide variety of habitats from temperate forests to the open prairies. As a keystone species, they play a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community (Rawinski, 2008). Despite record harvests in recent years, deer populations are at all-time highs around the Kingston region. Foraging deer consume or destroy the seedlings of highly preferred species, reducing plant diversity and on occasion, creating near monocultures.  The objective is to analyze the impacts of white-tailed deer overabundance on vegetation within an urban forest ecosystem around Kingston, Ontario. This involves evaluating past, present, and future mitigation efforts in order to remediate the areas affected by overgrazing to ensure long term environmental sustainability.  Critical to our evaluation on white-tailed deer in Kingston forest communities, we will be examining the ecosystems trophic relationships in the area including herbivory and selection pressures. Why have deer become so numerous?  How are they affecting forest ecosystems? And why should landowners, forest managers, and the general public be concerned? After evaluating the current situation, we aim to propose a viable solution that will address the primary concerns highlighted above.  In conclusion of our research we hope to restore the vegetative community and biodiversity of our local forests to their original state.

A nanocrystalline CdS thin film as a heterogeneous, recyclable catalyst for effective synthesis of dihydropyrimidinones and a new class of carbazolyl dihydropyrimidinones via an improved Biginelli protocol

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (27) ◽  
pp. 10989-11002 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Venkatapathy ◽  
C. J. Magesh ◽  
G. Lavanya ◽  
P. T. Perumal ◽  
R. Sathishkumar
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Heterogeneous Catalyst ◽  
Recyclable Catalyst ◽  
Efficient Synthesis ◽  
New Class ◽  
Cds Thin Film ◽  
Effective Synthesis ◽  
Recyclable Heterogeneous Catalyst

An improved Biginelli protocol for the efficient synthesis of a new class of carbazolyl dihydropyrimidinones mediated by CdS thin film nanoparticles deposited on the inner walls of a glass reactor as a recyclable, heterogeneous catalyst.

scholarly journals Possibilities of low-dose radiation therapy in the treatment of intrapulmonary injuries caused by COVID-19 infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-34
Author(s):  
E. Y. Khomutova ◽  
P. V. Novikov ◽  
A. S. Shatalov
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Severe Pneumonia ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Low Dose Radiation ◽  
Clinical Observations ◽  
Predicting Success ◽  
Recovery Times ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Dose Radiation

This paper examines the relevance of the use of a single irradiation of lungs in treatment of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus infection. Clinical observations are presented that demonstrate perspectives in the treatment of this disease. Patients with severe pneumonia who were prescribed LD-RT (low-dose radiation therapy) at a dose of 0.5–1.5 Gy showed shorter recovery times and no complications. This method of treatment has shown its effectiveness in a number of studies from different countries, predicting success and economic benefits in its further use and study. A literature search containing information on relevant studies was carried out in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Google Scholar systems. Attention was focused on full-text articles given their general availability in a pandemic.

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