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Zegardło B, Maraveas C, Świeczka K, Bombik A. Recycling Waste Agricultural Nets as Cement Composites. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 17:1828. [PMID: 38673185 PMCID: PMC11051079 DOI: 10.3390/ma17081828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The advancement of agricultural mesh technology has contributed to its improved properties. As a result, agricultural nets are widely adopted in large-scale farming applications, for example, in cereal crop farming. However, a consequence of this increased use of agricultural nets is the accumulation of large amounts of waste. The current paper focuses on the recycling of agricultural nets used in wrapping straw bales to develop additives and fillers in cement composites. The research details an analysis of the use of waste agricultural meshes as an ingredient in cement composites. Six test series of different mixtures were conducted. In the first four series, agricultural waste was utilised as an additive in a composite comprising aggregate and cement slurry (the amounts of wasted nets were 20, 40, 60, and 80 kg/m3). In the last test series, the recyclate utilised comprised a mixture of cement slurry and waste only. The composites were subjected to standard tests and thermal resistance tests. The results showcased that that the addition of a net worsened the workability of the concrete mixture, and with increasing amounts of addition, the consistency of the mixture could change from liquid to dense plastic. The flexural strength of the composite decreased with increasing amounts of recyclate. In subsequent test series, the flexural strength value was lower than that of the control (3.93 MPa), from 7.38% (3.64 MPa) for the composite with 20 kg/m3 of recyclate to 37.66% (2.45 MPa) for the composite with of 80 kg/m3 recyclate. The flexural strength value of the net-filled composite without aggregate was very high (10.44 MPa), where the value obtained for the control composite was 62.36% lower. The results of the compressive strength test showed a decrease in this parameter with increasing amounts of additive. The value assessed for the control composite was 27.99 MPa. As expected, the composite that had no aggregate and consisted of only recycled filler had the lowest compressive strength. The value of this parameter was 13.07 MPa, and it was 53.31% lower than that of the control composite. The results of the tests of resistance to temperatures were similar to those recorded for the composites with polypropylene fibres. All composites demonstrated a significant decrease in their compressive and flexural strength after annealing. SEM imaging showed that the net fibres were closely bonded to the cement stone. Finally, it was concluded that recyclates performed best as fillers in lightweight composites with a low density, low absorption, high flexural strength, and satisfactory compressive strength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartosz Zegardło
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Siedlce, B. Prusa 14, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland; (K.Ś.); (A.B.)
| | - Chrysanthos Maraveas
- Department of Natural Resources and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, Leof. Athinon 51, 104 47 Athens, Greece;
| | - Kamil Świeczka
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Siedlce, B. Prusa 14, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland; (K.Ś.); (A.B.)
| | - Antoni Bombik
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Siedlce, B. Prusa 14, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland; (K.Ś.); (A.B.)
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Maraveas C, Kyrtopoulos IV, Arvanitis KG. Evaluation of the Viability of 3D Printing in Recycling Polymers. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:1104. [PMID: 38675022 PMCID: PMC11054724 DOI: 10.3390/polym16081104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The increased use of plastics in industrial and agricultural applications has led to high levels of pollution worldwide and is a significant challenge. To address this plastic pollution, conventional methods such as landfills and incineration are used, leading to further challenges such as the generation of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, increasing interest has been directed to identifying alternative methods to dispose of plastic waste from agriculture. The novelty of the current research arose from the lack of critical reviews on how 3-Dimensional (3D) printing was adopted for recycling plastics, its application in the production of agricultural plastics, and its specific benefits, disadvantages, and limitations in recycling plastics. The review paper offers novel insights regarding the application of 3D printing methods including Fused Particle Fabrication (FPF), Hot Melt Extrusion (HME), and Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) to make filaments from plastics. However, the methods were adopted in local recycling setups where only small quantities of the raw materials were considered. Data was collected using a systematic review involving 39 studies. Findings showed that the application of the 3D printing methods led to the generation of agricultural plastics such as Polylactic Acid (PLA), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), which were found to have properties comparable to those of virgin plastic, suggesting the viability of 3D printing in managing plastic pollution. However, limitations were also associated with the 3D printing methods; 3D-printed plastics deteriorated rapidly under Ultraviolet (UV) light and are non-biodegradable, posing further risks of plastic pollution. However, UV stabilization helps reduce plastic deterioration, thus increasing longevity and reducing disposal. Future directions emphasize identifying methods to reduce the deterioration of 3D-printed agricultural plastics and increasing their longevity in addition to UV stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysanthos Maraveas
- Department of Natural Resources Development and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, 11855 Athens, Greece; (I.V.K.); (K.G.A.)
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Zhou J, Jia R, Brown RW, Yang Y, Zeng Z, Jones DL, Zang H. The long-term uncertainty of biodegradable mulch film residues and associated microplastics pollution on plant-soil health. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 442:130055. [PMID: 36303333 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradable mulch film potentially offers an encouraging alternative to conventional (petroleum-based) plastic films. Since biodegradable films are more susceptible to rapid degradation, more microplastics (MPs) are likely to be generated than conventional films within the same time frame, probably leading to more severe MPs pollution and associated effects. However, the effect of biodegradable mulch film residues and associated MPs pollution on plant-soil health remains uncertainty. Here, we evaluated the potential effect of bio-MPs pollution on soil carbon (C) and nutrient (i.e., N and P) cycling, soil biology (microorganisms and mesofauna), and plant health, as these are crucial to agroecosystem functioning and the delivery of key ecosystem services. Unlike the inert (and therefore recalcitrant) C contained within petroleum-based MPs, at least 80% of the C from bio-MPs is converted to CO2, with up to 20% immobilized in living microbial biomass (i.e., < 0.05 t C ha-1). Although biodegradable films are unlikely to be important in promoting soil C storage, they may accelerate microbial biomass turnover in the short term, as well as CO2 production. Compared to conventional MPs, bio-MPs degradation is more pronounced, thereby inducing greater alterations in microbial diversity and community composition. This may further alter N2O and CH4 emissions, and ultimately resulting in unpredictable consequences for global climate warming. The extent to which this may occur, however, has yet to be shown in either laboratory or field studies. In addition, bio-MPs have a large chance of forming nanoplastics, potentially causing a stronger toxic effect on plants relative to conventional MPs. Consequently, this would influence plant health, crop productivity, and food safety, leading to potential health risks. It is unclear, however, if these are direct effects on key plant processes (e.g. signaling, cell expansion) or indirect effects (e.g. nutrient deficiency or acidification). Overall, the question as to whether biodegradable mulch films offer a promising alternative to solve the conventional plastic legacy in soil over the long term remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhou
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Rong Jia
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Robert W Brown
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Yadong Yang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhaohai Zeng
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Davey L Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK; SoilsWest, Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6105, Australia
| | - Huadong Zang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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Ratnadass A, Martin T. Crop protection practices and risks associated with infectious tropical parasitic diseases. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 823:153633. [PMID: 35124028 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Two recent literature reviews have shown that: i) agroecological crop protection (ACP) practices generally reduce risks of viral zoonoses, unlike conventional (agrochemical-based) practices which tend to increase them; ii) substitution-based crop protection (CP) practices (mainly biocontrol-based) could result in fewer health risks from bacterial infectious diseases. Here, we present an analysis of the scientific literature to determine to what extent the conclusions regarding viruses or bacteria can be extended to infectious diseases caused by protozoan or helminthic parasites. This analysis of cases of both vector-transmitted and water- or food-borne parasitic diseases, shows, in terms of reduction of health risks: i) an overall negative effect arising from the use of synthetic plant protection products; ii) the relevance of substitution CP practices not strictly under the ACP banner. On the other hand, the public and veterinary health issue of antiparasitic resistance is not affected by CP practices. The positive effects at the large spatio-temporal scales of ACP approaches remain valid, although to a slightly lesser extent than for bacterial diseases and viral zoonoses, in particular through biodiversity conservation which fosters natural regulations and control, preventing the undesirable effects of synthetic pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Ratnadass
- CIRAD, UPR HortSys, F-97455 Saint-Pierre, Réunion, France; HortSys, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Thibaud Martin
- HortSys, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France; CIRAD, UPR HortSys, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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Kakkalameli S, Daphedar AB, Faniband B, Sharma S, Nadda AK, Ferreira LFR, Bilal M, Américo-Pinheiro JHP, Mulla SI. Biopolymers and Environment. Biopolymers 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-98392-5_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Mo X, Li H, Lian Y, Zheng B, Dong J, Lu X. Estimation of soil microplastic input derived from plastic gauze using a simplified model. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 793:148577. [PMID: 34328989 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Plastic gauzes have been widely used in the BTH region against haze events and for agricultural practices. The breakage of plastic gauzes would lead to the release of microplastics into soils, but it is difficult to estimate the inputs due to their wide implementation. In this study, we have conducted an estimation model based on the remote sensing technology for plastic gauze identification and the data from field experiments and literature. This model first managed to interpret the distribution of plastic gauzes from the Landsat8 images with the average overall accuracy at 0.92 and the average kappa at 0.77. By deeming the implementation duration of plastic gauzes from their distribution and using the breakage rates of plastic materials in soils reported in the literature, the model estimated that on average 1629.68 tons of microplastics have been released to soils from plastic gauze annually in the BTH region. Comparing with the microplastics released from other sources (e.g., personal care products, household dusts, laundry, and tire wear), plastic gauze could be a considerable contributor to soil microplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xunqiang Mo
- College of Geographic and Environmental Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Haixiao Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yi Lian
- College of Geographic and Environmental Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Boyang Zheng
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Jiankang Dong
- College of Geographic and Environmental Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Xueqiang Lu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin 300350, China.
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Leonés A, Salaris V, Mujica-Garcia A, Arrieta MP, Lopez D, Lieblich M, Kenny JM, Peponi L. PLA Electrospun Fibers Reinforced with Organic and Inorganic Nanoparticles: A Comparative Study. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26164925. [PMID: 34443512 PMCID: PMC8401602 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26164925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, different poly (lactic acid) (PLA)-based nanocomposite electrospun fibers, reinforced with both organic and inorganic nanoparticles, were obtained. As organic fibers, cellulose nanocrystals, CNC, both neat and functionalized by “grafting from” reaction, chitosan and graphene were used; meanwhile, hydroxyapatite and silver nanoparticles were used as inorganic fibers. All of the nanoparticles were added at 1 wt% with respect to the PLA matrix in order to be able to compare their effect. The main aim of this work was to study the morphological, thermal and mechanical properties of the different systems, looking for differences between the effects of the addition of organic or inorganic nanoparticles. No differences were found in either the glass transition temperature or the melting temperature between the different electrospun systems. However, systems reinforced with both neat and functionalized CNC exhibited an enhanced degree of crystallinity of the electrospun fibers, by up to 12.3%. From a mechanical point of view, both organic and inorganic nanoparticles exhibited a decreased elastic modulus and tensile strength in comparison to neat electrospun PLA fibers, improving their elongation at break. Furthermore, all of the organic and inorganic reinforced systems disintegrated under composting conditions after 35 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Leonés
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (V.S.); (A.M.-G.); (M.P.A.); (D.L.)
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy, The Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Valentina Salaris
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (V.S.); (A.M.-G.); (M.P.A.); (D.L.)
| | - Alicia Mujica-Garcia
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (V.S.); (A.M.-G.); (M.P.A.); (D.L.)
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and UDR INSTM, University of Perugia, Strada di Pentima 4, 05100 Terni, Italy
| | - Marina P. Arrieta
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (V.S.); (A.M.-G.); (M.P.A.); (D.L.)
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química Industrial y del Medio Ambiente, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (ETSII-UPM), Calle José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación: Polímeros, Caracterización y Aplicaciones (POLCA), 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Lopez
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (V.S.); (A.M.-G.); (M.P.A.); (D.L.)
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy, The Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marcela Lieblich
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas (CENIM-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - José Maria Kenny
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (V.S.); (A.M.-G.); (M.P.A.); (D.L.)
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and UDR INSTM, University of Perugia, Strada di Pentima 4, 05100 Terni, Italy
- Correspondence: (J.M.K.); (L.P.)
| | - Laura Peponi
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.L.); (V.S.); (A.M.-G.); (M.P.A.); (D.L.)
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy, The Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.M.K.); (L.P.)
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Editorial for "Materials Chemistry" Sections on Molecules. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25245833. [PMID: 33321988 PMCID: PMC7764522 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25245833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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