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Zabihi O, Patrick R, Ahmadi M, Forrester M, Huxley R, Wei Y, Hadigheh SA, Naebe M. Mechanical upcycling of single-use face mask waste into high-performance composites: An ecofriendly approach with cost-benefit analysis. Sci Total Environ 2024; 919:170469. [PMID: 38311090 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented demand for PPE, with single-use face masks emerging as a critical tool in containing virus transmission. However, the extensive use and improper disposal of these single-use face masks, predominantly composed of non-biodegradable plastics, has exacerbated environmental challenges. This research presents an innovative method for mechanically upcycling PPEs used in medical sectors i.e. single use face masks. The study investigates a facile approach for reclamation of infection-free and pure polypropylene (PP) plastic from discarded single use face masks (W-PP) and blends it with various vegetable oil percentages (5, 10 and 20 %), resulting in a versatile material suitable for various applications. Melt flow index, rheological behaviour, DSC and FTIR were employed to investigate the effect of vegetable oil/radical initiator through chemical grafting on W-PP properties. The results demonstrate significant enhancements in the tensile strength and modulus of W-PP when blended with vegetable oil and a radical initiator. There was a marked increase in tensile strength (33 %) and strain (55 %) compared to untreated W-PP, rendering W-PP both robust and flexible. Furthermore, we employed this upcycled W-PP in the fabrication of glass fibre-reinforced composites, resulting in notable enhancements in both tensile strength and impact resistance. The upcycled W-PP demonstrates excellent potential for various applications, such as sheet forming and 3D printing, where the non-brittleness of plastics plays a pivotal role in manufacturing high-quality products. The cost-benefit analysis of this approach underscores the potential of upcycling PPE waste as a sustainable solution to mitigate plastic pollution and conserve valuable resources. The applications of this upcycled material span a wide range of industries, including automotive composites, packaging, and 3D printing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Zabihi
- Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM), Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia.
| | - Rebecca Patrick
- School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia; Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mojtaba Ahmadi
- Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM), Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Mike Forrester
- School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rachel Huxley
- Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yaning Wei
- School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - S Ali Hadigheh
- School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Minoo Naebe
- Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM), Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia.
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Nghiem LD, Iqbal HMN, Zdarta J. The shadow pandemic of single use personal protective equipment plastic waste: A blue print for suppression and eradication. Case Stud Chem Environ Eng 2021; 4:100125. [PMID: 38620856 PMCID: PMC8387200 DOI: 10.1016/j.cscee.2021.100125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Single use personal protective equipment (PPE) has played a major role in preventing COVID-19 infection. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 4 million tonnes of polypropylene PPE waste has been disposed into the environment in uncontrolled manner causing significant and long-term ecological damage. This work also highlights several effective measures to alleviate the problem of polypropylene PPE waste. Short-term measures include knowledge sharing to minimise the use of single use PPE and to adapt innovative polypropylene recycling technologies. To prepare for a future pandemic, it is also essential to phase out polypropylene PPE using natural based polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long D Nghiem
- University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Hafiz M N Iqbal
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey, 64849, Mexico
| | - Jakub Zdarta
- Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965, Poznan, Poland
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