Production of third generation bio-fuel through thermal cracking process by utilizing Covid-19 plastic wastes.

During this pandemic, it has become customary to wear a face waste mask to guard against coronavirus illness (COVID-19). However, huge production of face waste masks, PPE kit and gloves pose environmental risks, since existing disposal methods such as incineration and reclamation which are emitting hazardous substances. In the present study covid-19 medical waste material like waste face waste masks; gloves and PPE kit (personal protective equipment) are considered as the feedstock for the thermal degradation process. Mainly nylon, polyethylene and polypropylene compounds are present in the Covid-19 medical waste compounds, further feedstock material is subjected to physical characterization process like proximate, ultimate and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), to determine the moisture, ash, volatile matter and decomposition temperature respectively. The waste waste mask has lower ash content of 9.7 %, whereas gloves and other PPEs has 11.8 and 11.2 % of ash respectively. Similarly volatile matter is also higher for waste waste mask than other feed stocks. Pyrolysis process is carried out between a temperature range of 100 °C to 700 °C and the products of the pyrolysis process are pyrolytic liquid, gas and residue. The maximum pyrolytic oil is produced from waste masks, gloves and other PPE kit at 300, 350 and 320 °C respectively. The calorific value of the pyrolytic oil from waste mask, gloves and other PPE kit possess 40.85,40.11,40.31 MJ/kg respectively, which indicates that all the pyrolytic oil has closer to the diesel fuel. Therefore pyroltic oil obtained from the Covid-19 medical waste can be used as an alternative fuel for CI engine.

Characterization and Combustion Behavior of Single-Use Masks Used during COVID-19 Pandemic.

This work aims to study the thermal degradation and combustion behavior of single-use masks commonly used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sudden increase in plastic waste underlines the crucial need for a proper disposal method. Therefore, to develop a suitable method of thermal disposal, it is first necessary to identify the primary waste materials and then study their thermal and flammability behaviors using thermal analysis methods. This research focuses on the characterization of individual parts of the masks, their thermal degradation, and pyrolysis processes via FTIR, TG, and MCC analyses. FTIR analysis indicated that all three masks were made out of polypropylene sheets, while two of the ear straps contained polyamide 6. One of the samples was composed mainly of poly (ethylene terephthalate) fiber and thin inner EPDM rubber. The EPDM ear strap left the highest residue and showed the lowest flammability among all samples. The analysis of heat of combustion and thermogravimetry shows that the most heat is generated above 450 °C. Therefore, for the disposal of single-use masks to be effective, it should be carried out in the temperature range from 450 to 750 °C.

Valorization of disposable COVID-19 mask through the thermo-chemical process.

It becomes common to wear a disposable face mask to protect from coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) amid this pandemic. However, massive generations of contaminated face mask cause environmental concerns because current disposal processes (i.e., incineration and reclamation) for them release toxic chemicals. The disposable mask is made of different compounds, making it hard to be recycled. In this regard, this work suggests an environmentally benign disposal process, simultaneously achieving the production of valuable fuels from the face mask. To this end, CO2-assisted thermo-chemical process was conducted. The first part of this work determined the major chemical constituents of a disposable mask: polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, and Fe. In the second part, pyrolysis study was employed to produce syngas and C1-2 hydrocarbons (HCs) from the disposable mask. To enhance syngas and C1-2 HCs formations, multi-stage pyrolysis was used for more C-C and C-H bonds scissions of the disposable mask. Catalytic pyrolysis over Ni/SiO2 further expedited H2 and CH4 formations due to its capability for dehydrogenation. In the presence of CO2, catalytic pyrolysis additionally produced CO, while pyrolysis in N2 did not produce it. Therefore, the thermo-chemical conversion of disposable face mask and CO2 could be an environmentally benign way to remove COVID-19 plastic waste, generating value-added products.