Strippable Polymeric Nanocomposites Comprising "Green" Chelates, for the Removal of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides.

The issue of heavy metal and radionuclide contamination is still causing a great deal of concern worldwide for environmental protection and industrial sites remediation. Various techniques have been developed for surface decontamination aiming for high decontamination factors (DF) and minimal environmental impact, but strippable polymeric nanocomposite coatings are some of the best candidates in this area. In this study, novel strippable coatings for heavy metal and radionuclides decontamination were developed based on the film-forming ability of polyvinyl alcohol, with the remarkable metal retention capacity of bentonite nanoclay, together with the chelating ability of sodium alginate and with "new-generation" "green" complexing agents: iminodisuccinic acid (IDS) and 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC). These environmentally friendly water-based decontamination solutions are capable of generating strippable polymeric films with optimized mechanical and thermal properties while exhibiting high decontamination efficiency (DF ≈ 95-98% for heavy metals tested on glass surface and DF ≈ 91-97% for radionuclides 241Am, 90Sr-Y and 137Cs on metal, painted metal, plastic, and glass surfaces).

Novel Polyurethanes Based on Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate: Synthesis, Characterization, and Formulation of Binders for Environmentally Responsible Rocket Propellants.

Novel polyurethane-based binders, specifically designed for environmentally responsible rocket propellant composites, were obtained by employing the polyester-polyols that resulted from the degradation of polyethylene terephthalate waste. A new class of "greener" rocket propellants, comprising polyurethanes (based on recycled PET) as the binder, phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) as the eco-friendly oxidizer, and triethylene glycol dinitrate (TEGDN) as the energetic plasticizer, together with aluminum as fuel and Fe2O3 as the catalyst, is herein reported. The components of the energetic mixtures were investigated (individually and as composite materials) through specific analytical tools: 1H-NMR, FT-IR, SEM-EDX, DTA and TGA, tensile and compression tests, DMA, and micro-CT. Moreover, the feasibility of this innovative solution is sustained by the ballistic performances exhibited by these composite materials in a subscale rocket motor, proving that these new formulations are suitable for rocket propellant applications.

Economic efficiency of primary care for CVD prevention and treatment in Eastern European countries.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, but it also is highly preventable. The prevention rate mainly depends on the patients' readiness to follow recommendations and the state's capacity to support patients. Our study aims to show that proper primary care can decrease the CVD-related morbidity rate and increase the economic efficiency of the healthcare system. Since their admission to the European Union (EU), the Eastern European countries have been in a quest to achieve the Western European standards of living. As a representative Eastern European country, Romania implemented the same strategies as the rest of Eastern Europe, reflected in the health status and lifestyle of its inhabitants. Thus, a valid health policy implemented in Romania should be valid for the rest of the Eastern European countries. METHODS: Based on the data collected during the EUROASPIRE III Romania Follow Up study, the potential costs of healthcare were estimated for various cases over a 10-year time period. The total costs were split into patient-supported costs and state-supported costs. The state-supported costs were used to deduce the rate of patients with severe CVD that can be treated yearly. A statistical model for the evolution of this rate was computed based on the readiness of the patients to comply with proper primary care treatment. RESULTS: We demonstrate that for patients ignoring the risks, a severe CVD has disadvantageous economic consequences, leading to increased healthcare expenses and even poverty. In contrast, performing appropriate prevention activities result in a decrease of the expenses allocated to a (eventual) CVD. In the long-term, the number of patients with severe CVD that can be treated increases as the number of patients receiving proper primary care increases. CONCLUSIONS: Proper primary care can not only decrease the risk of major CVD but also decrease the healthcare costs and increase the number of patients that can be treated. Most importantly, the health standards of the EU can be achieved more rapidly when primary care is delivered appropriately. JEL: I18, H51.