Search Results (2,226)

This work provides a synthesis of an initial experience in the development of accessible imaging techniques and their implementation on a real case: the analysis of colonial Hispano-American paintings at the Complejo Museográfico Provincial “Enrique Udaondo” (Luján, Buenos Aires). It discusses different aspects related to the possibilities of obtaining, using, and reusing equipment and materials locally, as well as details of the ways of acquiring images for photography on site. It also provides information about the composition and conservation state of selected artworks, complementing image analysis with portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) data, and reflects on articulated/collaborative work in situ as a methodology for transferring knowledge and skills. The project aims to contribute to strengthening Latin American sustainability by creating accessible non-invasive tools for heritage conservation institutions, highlighting the value of regional capacities to approach heritage studies from collaborative and ethical proposals that promote sovereignty and reduce dependence on external inputs. Full article

Phosphorus (P) is a crucial factor influencing both plant growth and the enrichment of the aquatic environment. Agriculture is the primary sector of the economy where the demand for phosphorus is the highest. Due to the depletion of P, more and more attention is being paid to the possibility of recovering and reusing P through the idea of a circular economy (CE). The main objective of this study was to compare raw eggshells (R-ESs) and calcined eggshells (C-ESs) for P removal from wastewater and assess the possible use of agro-waste materials according to CE requirements in non-flow conditions. A synthetic indicator, the zeroed unitarization method, was calculated to evaluate the critical aspects of materials according to the CE. The sorption of R-ESs and C-ESs equaled 0.90 and 1.66 mgP-PO₄/g for an initial concentration of 17.3 mgP-PO₄/L. The C-ESs were characterized by an almost two times higher reduction rate than R-ESs. The calculated indicator for the CE requirements equaled 0.89 and 0.72 for R-ESs and C-ESs, respectively. This means that R-ESs are more sustainable than C-ESs. Although C-ESs potentially have a more significant environmental impact, it is worth considering that this method of P elimination is beneficial from an ecological perspective. Full article

Nowadays, the recovery/recycling/reuse of mining and mineral processing wastes is considered the best approach to support the circular economy and sustainability of mining and metal extraction industries. Mine wastes can be used to restore surface and subsurface land damaged by mining operations, generate fuel for power plants, further extract their component minerals, and as building materials additives. The aim of this perspective paper is to briefly highlight and focus on the most recent analytical potential and performance achieved by handheld laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (hLIBS) instrumentation in the perspective of its future application in the mine waste sector to quickly identify on-site the presence of useful chemical elements for their possible sustainable recovery. Full article

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products, represent a significant threat to environmental and human health. In this context, the electro-Fenton (EF) process has emerged as a highly effective technique for the removal of such pollutants. This study investigates the innovative use of tea waste material (TWM) in combination with copper-iron nanoparticles (FeCuNPs) to degrade a mixture of CECs. A central aspect of this research is the sustainable reuse of organic waste material, such as TWM, to support catalytic nanoparticles. This approach not only utilizes a resource that would otherwise be discarded but also promotes sustainability in the treatment of contaminated water, aligning with the principles of the circular economy. The as-prepared FeCuNPs@TWM catalyst was fully characterized, and critical parameters influencing the pollutant removal were assessed, including adsorption capacity, catalyst load, and applied current. Under optimized conditions, the EF process, enhanced by FeCuNPs@TWM, achieved complete degradation of the contaminants within 15 min of the electrochemical process, and the activity remained after five catalytic cycles. Results demonstrate that using tea waste functionalized with FeCu nanoparticles as a catalyst not only improves the efficiency of the EF process but also offers an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative. Full article

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are an indispensable power source for electric vehicles, portable electronics, and renewable energy storage systems due to their high energy density and long cycle life. However, the exponential growth in production and usage has necessitated highly effective recycling of end-of-life LIBs to recover valuable resources and minimize the environmental impact. Pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes are the most common recycling methods but pose considerable difficulties. The energy-intensive pyrometallurgical recycling process results in the loss of critical materials such as lithium and suffers from substantial emissions and high costs. Solvent extraction, a hydrometallurgical method, offers energy-efficient recovery for lithium, cobalt, and nickel but requires hazardous chemicals and careful waste management. Direct recycling is an alternative to traditional methods as it preserves the cathode active material (CAM) structure for quicker and cheaper regeneration. It also offers environmental advantages of lower energy intensity and chemical use. Hybrid pathways, combining hydrometallurgical and direct recycling methods, provide a cost-effective, scalable solution for LIB recycling, maximizing material recovery with minimal waste and environmental risk. The success of recycling methods depends on factors such as battery chemistry, the scalability of recovery processes, and the cost-effectiveness of waste material recovery. Though pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes have secured their position in LIB recycling, research is proceeding toward newer approaches, such as direct and hybrid methods. These alternatives are more efficient both environmentally and in terms of cost with a broader perspective into the future. In this review, we describe the current state of direct recycling as an alternative to traditional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods for recuperating these critical materials, particularly lithium. We also highlight some significant advancements that make these objectives possible. As research progresses, direct recycling and its variations hold great potential to reshape the way LIBs are recycled, providing a sustainable pathway for battery material recovery and reuse. Full article

In the adaptive re-use of buildings, the physicality of buildings—the way they are designed, planned, constructed and maintained—has fallen out of fashion in favour of socio-economic conceptualisations and critical urban interpretations of the redevelopment process. However, the materiality of buildings plays a key part in how locations are re-produced in response to socio-economic circumstances—in this case, the creation and sustaining of cultural and creative clusters. In response, this paper adopts a forensic approach to the characteristics of physical buildings in order to develop an original taxonomy of lo-fi adaptive features and interventions that enable the authors to infer which types and aspects of industrial buildings lend themselves to sustaining cultural and creative clusters. The focus on lo-fi interventions is an original contribution to the adaptive re-use literature where attention tends to focus on more formal and traditional design-based interactions with existing buildings. In doing so, the research utilises a comparative case study approach of several former industrial buildings associated with the contemporary independent food and drink industry in the Ouseburn Valley cultural and creative quarter of Newcastle upon-Tyne in England. The research finds that it is the functional tolerance and malleability of the case study buildings—their inherent adaptive capacity, that in part helps to sustain the cultural and creative cluster in this location. Full article

The increasing importance of waste materials utilization with the necessary modification to remove various pollutants from industrial wastewater has been a research focus over the past few decades. Using waste material from one industry to solve pollution problems in another ultimately leads toward sustainable and circular approaches in environmental engineering, solving waste management and wastewater treatment issues simultaneously. In contemporary research and industry, there is a notable trend toward utilizing industrial wastes as precursors for adsorbent formation with a wide application range. In line with this trend, red mud, a byproduct generated during alumina production, is increasingly viewed as a material with the potential for beneficial reuse rather than strictly a waste. One of the potential uses of red mud, due to its specific composition, is in the removal of heavy metal and radionuclide ions. This study summarizes red mud’s potential as an adsorbent for wastewater treatment, emphasizing techno-economic analysis and sorption capacities. An overview of the existing research includes a critical evaluation of the adsorption performance, factors influencing efficiency rather than efficacy, and the potential for specific pollutant adsorption from aqueous solutions. This review provides a new approach to a circular economy implementation in wastewater treatment while guiding future research directions for sustainable and cost-effective solutions. Full article

This review explores the recent advancements in the application of boron nitride (BN) as a support material for metallic nanoparticles, highlighting its potential in fostering sustainable chemical reactions when employed as a heterogeneous catalyst. Two key processes, both critical to hydrogen storage and transport, are examined in detail. First, the reversible synthesis and decomposition of ammonia using BN-supported metallic catalysts has emerged as a promising technology. This approach facilitates the preparation of Ru nanoparticles with precisely structured surface atomic ensembles, such as B5 sites, which are critical for maximizing catalytic efficiency. Second, the review emphasizes the role of BN-supported catalysts in the production of formic acid (FA), a process intrinsically linked to the reuse of carbon dioxide. In this context, hydrogen and carbon dioxide—potentially sourced from atmospheric capture—serve as reactants. BN’s high CO₂ adsorption capacity makes it an ideal support material for such applications. Moreover, FA can serve as a source of hydrogen through decomposition or as a precursor to alternative chemicals like carbon monoxide (CO) via dehydration, further underscoring its versatility in sustainable catalysis Full article

The construction sector has a high environmental impact, especially due to C&D waste. At the same time, the increase in the temperature of the Earth’s surface due to pollution requires interventions on the built environment, aimed at improving the performance of the envelope in hot climates. In the literature, there are studies on components to increase thermal efficiency, but they are limited by long or expensive production processes or high environmental impact. This research considers Italy as a reference area. The aim of this research is to design, prototype, and verify a sustainable component to be included in the stratigraphy of light mass vertical closures to increase their heat capacity that allows for the reuse of C&D waste and the optimization of site operations both in the selective demolition phase and in the redevelopment phase of the building. The method follows the following phases: analysis of the type of waste from C&D, analysis of international best practices, analysis of the possibilities of intervention on vertical closures according to the pre-existing structure and choice of cases of greatest scientific interest, design of the sustainable big bag by reusing inert materials from selective demolition and recycled polypropylene fabrics, prototyping and verification by laboratory tests, and software analysis to verify the thermal advantage. The use of the sustainable big bag allows for construction advantages, facilitating site operations both in the construction and waste disposal phases, energy advantages by improving the heat capacity of the envelope, and increases in the sustainability of the intervention through the reuse of waste materials. Full article

The ceramic and glass industries, integral to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), face significant challenges in achieving decarbonization despite advancements in energy efficiency. The circular economy offers a promising pathway, emphasizing the reuse and recycling of waste materials into secondary raw materials (SRMs) to reduce resource consumption and emissions. This study investigates a standardized waste supply chain framework, developed collaboratively with stakeholders, tailored for the ceramic sector. The Waste Resource Platform (WRP) integrates Industry 4.0 paradigms, utilizing a modular, layered architecture and a process-centric design. The framework includes experimental tests and co-creation methodologies to refine a digital marketplace that connects stakeholders, facilitates SRM exchange, and fosters industrial symbiosis. The WRP demonstrates the potential for SRMs to replace virgin materials, reducing environmental impacts and production costs. It enhances supply chain transparency through digital traceability, promotes predictive material sourcing, and streamlines logistics via algorithmic optimization. Challenges such as regulatory gaps and quality standards are addressed through standardized processes, open data governance, and innovative algorithms. The WRP project advances circular economy goals in the ceramic sector, promoting waste reuse, industrial symbiosis, and supply chain resilience. Its standardized, open-access platform offers a scalable model for other industries, fostering sustainable practices and resource efficiency while addressing global climate targets. Full article

The growing production of glass fibers is a major challenge due to the later problem of their sustainable recycling. This article reports the potential use of post-production waste glass fibers and basalt powder as additives in resin compounds designed for repairing concrete elements. The aim of this research was to develop a repair compound based on epoxy resin with the addition of waste materials, offering a competitive alternative to currently available repair compounds on the market by utilizing lower-cost materials and addressing pro-environmental aspects through waste reuse. The prepared research samples were characterized by varying proportions of basalt powder (0–20%), ground HP 12 fibers (40/60%), and HP 6 fibers (10/20%). A series of tests, including tensile strength tests, were conducted as part of this study to determine the effect of the applied additives on the ultimate tensile force and maximum deformations. Abrasion resistance tests were also carried out to evaluate the impact of basalt powder as a filler on enhancing the abrasion resistance of the designed repair compound. Additionally, SEM and EDS analyses were used to evaluate the uniformity and distribution of the additives within the sample. This study examined samples containing varying percentages of basalt powder and fibers, both virgin and milled. The most significant reinforcement effect was observed for sample E/20HP/20bp, where its tensile strength decreased by 8%, while its abrasion resistance increased by 44% compared to the reference sample. The obtained results confirm that incorporating waste materials as additives into epoxy resin can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of repair compounds while reducing cost and promoting environmental protection. In addition, the repair compound developed complies with the selected principles within the 6Rs environmental regulations: RECYCLING (reuse of waste glass fibers), RETHINK (reduce environmental impact by avoiding landfill), REDUCE (minimize the use of virgin glass fibers in the production of repair compounds) and REPAIR (increase the efficiency of repairing damaged concrete structures). Furthermore, as the percentage of basalt powder increases, the abrasion resistance of the repair compound improves. The obtained repair compounds may serve as an alternative to currently used compounds for the repair of bridges and factory floors. Full article

The KREIS-Haus, an inhabited living lab in Switzerland, serves as a demonstrator of the implementation of sustainable and circular building practices. Addressing the environmental impacts associated with construction, operation, and deconstruction, this study presents an innovative systematic design concept that synthesizes principles of the circular economy, Cradle-to-Cradle design, and ecological engineering. The design process was applied to the KREIS-Haus as a lighthouse project, combining theoretical frameworks with real-word application to derive actionable insights. The novelty of the KREIS-Haus lies in the holistic integration of circular and sustainable concepts within a compact footprint, realized in a real-life, publicly accessible living lab. Its design maximizes resource efficiency by incorporating locally sourced materials, modular construction techniques, and flexible interior features, which allow for easy disassembly and reuse. At the heart of its circular design is the multifunctional conservatory, which provides heat and sound insulation, generates solar power, and expands the living space. Additionally, it supports plant cultivation and enables the reuse of treated wastewater and nutrients, as part of the off-grid water and nutrient management system to reduce reliance on external resources. The principles of solar architecture further minimize the building’s energy demands. Key insights from the design and construction process highlight the challenges of navigating conflicting goals, the importance of partner alignment, and considerations for scaling these concepts to larger developments. While technical challenges may arise, addressing systemic barriers will be essential for advancing sustainable and circular building practices on a broader scale. Full article

Used tires (UTs) are a global problem, especially in developing countries due to inadequate management systems. During retreading, when the worn tread is replaced, waste is generated in the form of tire fibers (TFs) and particles, which can be reused as raw materials to produce economically and environmentally low-cost prefabricated elements. Using TFs as a lightweight aggregate in nonstructural geopolymer-based elements is a sustainable valorization option. This study aims to valorize used tires by incorporating them as TFs into lightweight geopolymer mixes and analyzing their physico-mechanical, thermal, and thermography properties for building and civil engineering applications. The geopolymer is produced from a precursor (spent catalyst residue from catalytic cracking, FCC) and an alkaline activator composed of rice husk ash (RHA), sodium hydroxide, and water. The control sample’s (mortar with siliceous sand, CTRLSIL) compressive strength came close to 50 MPa, while the TF mixes ranged from 32 to 3 MPa, which meet the masonry standards. The thermal conductivity and thermography analyses showed that increasing the TF content reduced the heat transmission and achieved a similar performance to expanded-clay concrete and better performance than for conventional concrete. Full article

Solvents are particularly hazardous among the mixture of pollutants found in the air, as their low vapor pressure allows them to reach the atmosphere, causing damage to ecosystems, and producing secondary deleterious effects on living organisms through a wide variety of possible reactions. In response, innovative, sustainable, and ecological methods are being developed to recover solvents from industrial wastewater, which is typically contaminated with other organic compounds. This study describes the procedure for recovering acetone from a residue from the pharmaceutical industry. This compound contains a high amount of solid organic compounds, which are generated during the manufacture of medicines. The treatment consisted of performing a simple solar distillation using a single-slope glass solar still, which separated the acetone from the mother solution. Under ideal circumstances, the use of solar radiation allowed an efficiency rate of 80% using solar concentration by means of mirrors to increase the temperature and 85% without the use of mirrors in the production of distilled acetone, which was characterized to evaluate its quality using instrumental analytical techniques: NMR, IR, and GC. The results obtained indicate that the acetone recovered by this procedure has a good quality of 84%; however, due to this percentage obtained, its reuse is limited for certain applications where a high degree of purity is required, such as its reuse for pharmaceutical use; for this reason, it was proposed to use said compound to eliminate the organic impurities contained in the catalyst waste granules used in a Mexican oil refinery. The resulting material was examined by SEM and EDS, revealing a high initial carbon content that decreased by 29% after treatment. Likewise, as an additional study, a study was carried out to evaluate the characteristics of the residues obtained at the end of the distillation where rubidium, silicon, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and chlorine contents were observed. Full article

The generation of synthetic textile waste is a growing global concern, with an unsustainable rate of expansion. This study addresses the growing issue of synthetic textile waste by converting polyester–polyurethane (PET-PU) post-industrial scraps into microporous carbon materials, which can be utilized for wastewater treatment. Using a straightforward pyrolysis process, we achieved a high specific surface area (632 m²/g) and narrow porosity range (2–10 Å) without requiring chemical activation. The produced carbon materials effectively adsorbed methylene blue and orange II dyes, with maximum adsorption capacities of 169.49 mg/g and 147.56 mg/g, respectively. Kinetic studies demonstrated that adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order model, indicating strong interactions between the adsorbent and dyes. Regeneration tests showed that the C-PET-PU could be reused for multiple cycles with over 85% retention of its original adsorption capacity. Preliminary life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) analysis highlighted the environmental and economic advantages of this upcycling approach, showing a reduced global warming potential and a production cost of approximately 1.65 EUR/kg. These findings suggest that transforming PET-PU waste into valuable adsorbents provides a sustainable solution for the circular economy and highlights the potential for broader applications in environmental remediation. Full article