Chemical looping turns environmental waste into fuel

Study finds low-carbon system boosts chemical efficiency

03-Feb-2025 - Turning environmental waste into useful chemical resources could solve many of the inevitable challenges of our growing amounts of discarded plastics, paper and food waste, according to new research. In a significant breakthrough, researchers from The Ohio State University have developed a ...

CARBIOS and De Smet enter engineering partnership for construction of world’s first PET biorecycling plant

16-Feb-2024 - CARBIOS and De Smet Engineers & Contractors (DSEC) announced their collaboration to spearhead the construction of the world's first PET biorecycling plant. Under the agreement, De Smet has been entrusted with the project management and detailed engineering, including procurement assistance and ...

Stronger paper bags, reused repeatedly then recycled for biofuel could be future

25-Apr-2023 - As the world searches for ways to reduce the use of plastics such as single-use plastic bags, a novel study by Penn State researchers demonstrates a process to make paper bags stronger — especially when they get wet — to make them a more viable alternative. The study suggests a process for ...

Nanoplastics can move up the food chain from plants to insects and from insects to fish

Novel, metallic fingerprint-based technique to detect and measure nanoplastics in organisms

14-Sep-2022 - A new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows that lettuce can take up nanoplastics from the soil and transfer them into the food chain. The concern about plastic pollution has become widespread after it was realised that mismanaged plastics in the environment break down into smaller ...

Innovative solutions related to Sustainable Chemistry and Waste

Finalists of the third ISC3 Innovation Challenge selected

12-Aug-2022 - The voting period of the third ISC3 Innovation Challenge that called for innovations in the field of Sustainable Chemistry and Waste: Prevention, Valorisation & Management just ended. The international jury of experts chose its 10 finalists from a large number of top-notch applications from five ...

Creating sustainable material from waste

Researchers report low-pressure method to convert industrially processed biomass into plastics, chemicals

25-Jan-2022 - It’s no secret that we need more sustainable materials if we hope to help the planet. Bio-derived materials are one potential option, but they must be economical if anyone is going to use them. For instance, a better bio-based milk jug would be great. However, if the milk sells for $20 per gallon ...

Eco-friendly technology to produce energy from textile waste

Scientists from Lithuania proposed a method to convert lint-microfibers found in clothes dryers into energy

16-Jun-2021 - A team of scientists from Kaunas University of Technology and Lithuanian Energy Institute proposed a method to convert lint-microfibers found in clothes dryers into energy. They not only constructed a pilot pyrolysis plant but also developed a mathematical model to calculate possible economic and ...

Biofuels from the brewery?

Separating beer waste into proteins for foods, and fiber for biofuels

07-Apr-2021 - Home brewing enthusiasts and major manufacturers alike experience the same result of the beer-making process: mounds of leftover grain. Once all the flavor has been extracted from barley and other grains, what's left is a protein- and fiber-rich powder that is typically used in cattle feed or put ...

Biodegradable flip-flops coming soon

Innovative bio-​propellant from gas and water

29-Oct-2020 - Biodegradable plastics are very much on trend. But there are still very few sustainable alternatives for products containing foamed plastic. ETH Pioneer Fellow Zuzana Sediva is developing a process that could one day be used to make shoe soles and yoga mats from organic waste. Zuzana Sediva loves ...

Tiny helpers turn waste into valuable materials

Leaving oil behind and moving towards renewable raw materials: the chemical industry hopes to succeed in this with the help of microorganisms and enzymes

15-Sep-2020 - The idea is that bacteria shouldn’t only convert waste products into valuable chemicals, but also draw energy from them. After all, they too can be reused for subsequent processes. This vision is what drives Professor Dirk Tischler, who heads the Microbial Biotechnology research group at ...