Turning Waste PPE Into Water and Vinegar
upstart writes:
Turning waste PPE into water and vinegar:
Shredded masks, gowns, gloves and plastic safety glasses go into a machine; hot, pressurized water and compressed air are applied; water and acetic acid are the end-products. The PPE-to-liquid process is carried out at a temperature of 300C and takes about an hour in a small prototype machine in a laboratory in the faculty. Gaseous by-products from the process are oxygen and low concentrations of carbon dioxide which can be safely discharged. "This is a clean, chemical-free solution which will be a game changer internationally," says Dr. Saied Baroutian, an associate professor in the faculty's Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering.
"The technology used is a hydrothermal deconstruction or valorisation process and it destroys the waste completely. The liquid produced in the process is safe, inert and can be reused-the vinegar or acetic acid can be used for disinfecting and the water can be reused for the processing cycle therefore minimizing water consumption and helping with sustainability."
The process has been developed at the university in collaboration with the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences and the Universities of Otago and Waterloo (Canada). It is one of two innovative solutions that link up to tackle the COVID-19 healthcare waste problem which has been described as "threatening human and environmental health" by the World Health Organisation.
Journal Reference:
Disinfecting PPE for reuse, recycling, (DOI: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/1/83)
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