Disposing of plastic waste using a simple chemical reaction... How?

Weather of Arabia - Plastic pollution is one of the major environmental challenges facing the world today, as plastic waste accumulates in the environment, causing negative impacts on environmental and human life. With the increase in production and use of plastic, the search for effective ways to get rid of this waste becomes an urgent necessity, and in this article, We'll take a look at a simple chemical reaction that could be the solution to this pressing problem.

Discovering an innovative chemical reaction to transform plastic into a useful material

A group of Tokyo Metropolitan University researchers have developed an innovative chemical process that enables the conversion of polyester, which belongs to the category of plastic, into a substance called “morpholine amide,” which is a substance that has various industrial uses. What is striking here is that this chemical process produces large quantities of the substance The unique "morpholine amide" is formulated without the need to use any harmful chemicals, and without generating any unwanted waste.

This study, the results of which were published in the journal ACS Publications , aims to promote the principle of “upcycling” , which seeks to support global efforts to address plastic pollution and maintain the health of the planet.

What is the principle of upward rotation?

The concept of upcycling first arose in 1994 during an interview with German mechanical engineer Rainer Biltz by the English magazine Salvo, who was working in the field of interior design. In his statement during the interview, Beletsk said:

“I brought the idea of upcycling up because people often break and destroy things. What we really need is to promote recycling and give old products more value.”

The concept of upcycling offers many benefits , including environmental benefits that contribute to reducing waste production and preserving natural resources, in addition to economic benefits as production costs can be reduced. It is necessary to point out the fact that the consumption of plastics on a global scale exceeds borders, and this It leads to the accumulation of huge amounts of plastic waste. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, one million plastic bags are consumed every minute around the world, and this is in addition to the use of approximately 5 trillion plastic bags annually.

Using a simple chemical process to achieve impressive results in getting rid of plastic waste

Under the leadership of Professor Kotohiro Nomura and Assistant Professor Yuhei Ogiwara, the research team was able to develop a new approach based on the principle of upcycling, and used a chemical reaction to convert polyester materials, including PET, which is used in the manufacture of plastic bottles, into a chemical Of industrial value.

This chemical reaction depends on the use of a low-cost morpholine, in addition to a chemical catalyst made of titanium. The result of this reaction was the production of a substance called morpholine amide.

The press release published on the EurekAlert platform highlights the potential uses of morpholine amide, as it can be used to remanufacture plastic products and produce a variety of valuable chemicals in various industries.

Does the world need additional measures to combat pollution?

This study presents a new solution that could be the ideal solution to eliminate the sustainable increase in plastic waste, and in theory, this solution is more effective than current methods.

The current recycling process is based on using chemicals to break down large compounds found in plastic, and transform them into small components that can be reused to manufacture new plastic products.

Although this process is useful in getting rid of plastic waste, it requires large amounts of energy to complete the necessary chemical reaction, or depends on the use of chemicals that in turn cause the formation of additional waste. Therefore, these methods remain without achieving a comprehensive solution to the problem of plastic pollution.

According to the press release, the chemical process developed by the researchers appears to require no special conditions, does not lead to the production of chemical residues, is based on the use of a small amount of chemical catalyst, and does not require any special techniques or tools.

This reaction, which follows the principle of upcycling, can have a significant positive impact on reducing the accumulation of plastic waste on our planet and utilizing it effectively in various industries. These simple developments in chemistry demonstrate the ability to achieve significant progress in combating plastic pollution, and if these technologies are developed properly, Better and more efficient, they could be an important part of a comprehensive solution to the plastic waste problem and a more sustainable future for the planet.

Also know:

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Can the windows of your house turn into a source of energy?

Sources:

aljazeera

nuomnews