Biofuel from Disposed PPE
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Biofuel from Disposed PPE Kits – Indian Scientists New Study

Using a high-temperature chemical process called pyrolysis, billions of items of disposable PPE can be converted from its plastic state into biofuels, according to a new study published in the journal Biofuels.

As personal protective equipment (PPE) are currently being disposed of at unprecedented levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an advance that could help mitigate the problem of dumped PPE was suggested by Indian scientists as they describe a method to convert the plastic used in personal protective equipment (PPE) into renewable liquid fuels.

From The University of Petroleum and Energy Studies in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, the lead author of the study, Sapna Jain noted in a statement that the transformation into biocrude, a type of synthetic fuel, will produce a source of energy and will prevent the severe after-effects to humankind and the environment.

Jain said, “We are foreseeing the issues of economic crisis and ecological imbalance as the world is now focusing to combat COVID-19. To meet the forcefully imposed challenges by the COVID-19 pandemic and to maintain sustainability, we have to prepare ourselves accordingly.”

She added saying that as PPE is being designed for single-use followed by

disposal, given its material of non-woven polypropylene (plastic), the disposal of PPE is a concern as these materials need decades to decompose. The researchers said that as these plastic materials’ natural degradation is difficult at ambient temperature, these materials end up in landfills or oceans when they are discharged into the environment.

Jain said that both physical methods and chemical methods are required to recycle these polymers, and addressing the anticipated problem of disposal of PPE, the proposed strategy is a suggestive measure.

The research team explored the feasibility of converting PPE into biofuel,  their polypropylene content, and the current policies around the disposal of PPEs. They mainly focused on the methods of recycling the plastic material, why it poses an environmental threat, the structure of polypropylene, and its suitability for PPE.

For converting PPE waste into fuel, the researchers called for a chemical process, pyrolysis, for breaking down the plastic at high temperatures between 300 to 400 degrees Celsius for an hour without oxygen, based on their analysis.

Bhawna Yadav Lamba, the study co-author said, “The most commonly used chemical method is pyrolysis, whose benefits include the ability to produce high quantities of bio-oil which is easily biodegradable.”

Lamba added, “To meet our energy demands, there is always a need for alternative fuels or energy resources. One of the methods to mitigate our energy crisis is the pyrolysis of plastics. The liquid fuel produced from plastics has fuel properties similar to fossil fuels and is clean.”

She said that by the production of liquid fuel from PPE kits, the challenges of increasing energy demand and the PPE waste management could be simultaneously addressed.

Source
Producing Biofuel from Disposed PPE Kits