RSC sustainability最新文献

In particular since the adoption of the REACH regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) in 2006, Europe has established the most stringent chemical control system in the world, a point of pride for many who advocate for even stricter measures. However, a contrasting perspective argues that the extensive European regulatory framework for chemicals has hampered industrial manufacturing, competitiveness, and innovation. This viewpoint attributes the decline to overregulation, excessive bureaucracy, and an overly risk-averse approach. The current European Commission appears to align with this latter perspective, reflecting a broader global re-evaluation of regulatory priorities, particularly among western industrialized nations beyond the EU. This paper examines this evolving landscape and its implications. As industry experts, our goal is to succinctly inform academic researchers about the political process, recognizing its potential impact on research and societal expectations.

Global production of nickel (Ni) and ferronickel (FeNi) alloys, critical to battery materials and stainless steel alloys, is limited to a few countries due to the distribution of laterite ores. To meet the growing demand, an alternative supply of Ni and FeNi alloys needs to be established. Laterite ores result from olivine (Mg_xFe_2−xSiO₄) weathering under tropical conditions, making olivine a promising alternative source to consider; however, the lower Ni concentration of olivine makes it less economical. One approach to lowering the process costs is using waste chemical inputs in place of expensive commodity chemicals. In this study we evaluate the feasibility of using such waste byproducts generated by a demonstration-scale electrochemical marine carbon dioxide removal system to extract Ni from olivine (0.27 wt% Ni) as FeNi alloy. Bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BPMED) technology used for ocean alkalinity enhancement generates acidic, desalinated, and basic streams using seawater and electricity. The acid stream is a waste product, and we show that it is 37% better than equal-strength commercial HCl for leaching of Ni from olivine at room temperature. A small volume of the alkaline product from BPMED is used to increase the pH of the olivine leachate to remove all dissolved silicon and the majority of the dissolved iron, while retaining most of the dissolved Ni (65%) and Mg (84%). This enriched solution is used for Ni recovery via electroplating while the spent electrolyte, rich in Mg, is suitable as an additional source of alkalinity for marine CO₂ removal. We demonstrate the recovery of Ni as a FeNi alloy with an Fe to Ni molar ratio of 1.37 : 1 and evaluate the cost-benefit of the process for various possible scenarios. Preliminary assessment indicates an overall net economic benefit from recovering Ni from olivine using the proposed method and the net benefit is expected to further increase if the overall recovery rate of Ni is improved, the price of the Ni product is increased, and the value of CO₂ credit is included.

Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), an endemic species of Southern India, is highly valued for its heartwood, yet its bark is frequently discarded as waste. The sustainable utilization of underutilized bark offers a promising route to develop bio-based wood preservatives. This study investigates the bio-protective efficacy of Pterocarpus santalinus bark extracts against fungal and termite degradation in plantation timbers. Gravimetric analysis revealed markedly higher yields for aqueous extracts (26.22%) compared to acetone (2.59%) and methanol (1.05%) extracts. Three wood species: rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis: HB), mango wood (Mangifera indica: MI), and melia wood (Melia dubia: MD) were pressure-impregnated with 3% and 8% extract concentrations for 1 h and 2 h. Retention values in different wood species ranged from 0.94 to 8.81 kg m⁻³, while weight percent gain reached 17.88%, especially in lower-density MD. Acetone extracts conferred the strongest antifungal protection, reducing brown-rot (Oligoporus placentus) mass loss from 46% (control HB) to 11% (HB at 8%), and white-rot (Trametes hirsuta) mass loss from 38% to 11%. A similar phenomenon was seen in MI and MD wood. Termite damage ratings declined from 5.0 (complete failure) in untreated HB and MI to 1.7 and 2.8 post-treatment, and to 0.2 in MD. Leaching resistance improved with higher concentrations and longer impregnation times, while FTIR spectra confirmed the preservation of lignin and hemicellulose associated peaks after fungal tests. SEM confirmed that the extracts form protective barriers into the wood, inhibiting microbial degradation and termite infestation.

A technique combining an extended mechanochemical treatment of biogenic calcium carbonate (bCC) with a one-pot hydrothermal method was used for the first time to prepare nanocrystalline apatite. When calcitic bCC from oyster shell waste was subjected to dry milling for 1 hour (DM) the crystallite size of calcite was decreased from 92 to 14 nm, and the minimum temperature to achieve the complete conversion to apatite (T_min) decreased from 160 °C to 80 °C. In contrast, wet milling (18 h) induced polymorphism and amorphization, yielding calcite, aragonite, and amorphous calcium carbonate, with crystallite sizes of 7 nm for calcite and 13.7 nm for aragonite. The T_min decreased from 160 °C to 40 °C. Both transformations occurred via brushite as an intermediate metastable phase. Kinetic experiments evidenced that DM-bCC transformed faster than WM-bCC at T_min, achieving 98% versus 82% after 4 days, even though the complete transformation took 7 days. Both bCCs and the derived Ap nanoparticles demonstrated cytocompatibility with MS1 endothelial cells and m17.1 ASC murine mesenchymal stem cells. This synthetic approach offers a cost-effective, eco-friendly (without releasing CO₂), sustainable, and scalable (by using already established glass reactor technology rather than costly autoclaves) solution for valorising shells waste.

This work presents the development of SimpleBox4Planet, a user-friendly web application implementation of SimpleBox, and demonstrates its use in facilitating the assessment of the environmental fate of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) as well as other chemicals of interest, with the aim of supporting research into safer chemical alternatives with lower environmental impact. The SimpleBox4Planet web application is freely accessible on the Enalos Cloud Platform (https://www.enaloscloud.novamechanics.com/proplanet/simplebox4planet/ and https://www.enaloscloud.novamechanics.com/chiasma/simplebox4planet/). The SimpleBox4Planet web application integrates the SimpleBox (version 4.04) multimedia mass balance model (based on a ‘Mackay type’ model), accommodating both steady-state (level III) and quasi-dynamic (level IV) computations of mass flows and chemical concentrations across three environmental scales: regional, continental and global, while also considering the chemical distributions at each scale across environmental compartments, including air, soil, water and sediment, thus streamlining the workflow and enhancing visualisation of the model outcomes. The complexities related to modelling SimpleBox through MS Excel spreadsheets are eliminated through the design of the user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) provided by SimpleBox4Planet. This interface enables users to input the physicochemical properties of any chemical of interest (based on its CAS number) from the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard either directly or dynamically through application programming interfaces (APIs), to define emission rates, and to configure landscape settings. Both expert and non-expert users can efficiently perform complex multimedia fate modelling, significantly broadening the tool's applicability in regulatory, academic, and industrial contexts. Furthermore, the platform facilitates integration with other tools and models, including Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) frameworks, and can be used as an input to risk assessment, to support the evaluation of both ecotoxicological and human health impacts.

Tissue-related disorders continue to present critical clinical challenges due to their limited self-repair abilities and rising global incidence. Conventional grafting techniques and implant materials are suffering from significant drawbacks, including immune rejection, donor site morbidity, and lack of bioactivity. Herein, this study explores the development of a smart, biomimetic scaffold that combines a piezoelectric polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with a demineralized extracellular matrix derived from fish scales. The demineralization process effectively removes heavy metal contaminants while preserving the collagen-rich matrix, making it suitable for scaffold applications. PVDF, known for its biocompatibility, flexibility, and electroactive properties, was electrospun at varying concentrations to achieve nanofibrous membranes with tailored anisotropic and electromechanical characteristics. These PVDF nanofibers were layered onto D-FS to create hybrid scaffolds that mimic the hierarchical architecture and dynamic responsiveness of native skeletal tissues. Based on SEM and FTIR analyses, 12% w/v PVDF demonstrated uniform fiber distribution with minimal bead formation. Physico-chemical analyses confirmed its enhanced crystallinity and structural alignment, while electrical assessments demonstrated adequate piezoelectric performance under mechanical stimulation, including device fabrication. Biological evaluations, including the MTT assay, hemolysis analysis, LIVE–DEAD staining, and protein adsorption study, were conducted; the results indicate that C-FS exhibits cytotoxicity, whereas D-FS does not. This work presents a promising strategy for the development of next-generation tissue engineering scaffolds with the potential to eliminate the need for secondary surgeries.

In between mechanical and chemical recycling, the recycling by dissolution/precipitation method has emerged as an economically and sustainably viable solution. This work addresses the challenges of this recycling method, particularly those related to the complex and diverse composition representative of polymers feedstocks from sorting centers, from an analytical perspective. We used various analytical tools, ranging from off-line chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) to in situ spectroscopy, as well as thermal and fractionation analysis, to deeply characterize the plastic feedstocks at different stages of the recycling process. LC-HRMS and thermal gradient interaction chromatography (TGIC) provide valuable insights into the composition of market-available plastics feedstocks and the efficiency of sorting center operations. In situ NIR and Raman spectroscopy allowed real-time monitoring of the dissolution step to ensure complete dissolution, as well as the precipitation step to ensure effective polymer/additive separation. Ex situ attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), high temperature size exclusion chromatography (HT-SEC), and LC-HRMS confirmed that the recovered polymer after recycling maintained its properties while removing a fraction of additives. Also, we show that substitution of fossil-based solvents like xylene and decalin is possible by more responsible solvents like amyl acetate or cyclohexanone with comparable dissolution and additives removal performances.

We present a green-solvent remanufacturing strategy for mesoscopic carbon-based perovskite solar cells (CPSCs) that enables complete recovery of the printed device stack. By immersing aged devices in γ-valerolactone (GVL), the perovskite absorber can be selectively removed without harming the underlying mesoporous carbon scaffold. Fresh perovskite is then reinfiltrated, restoring up to 89% of the device's first life power conversion efficiency (PCE). This sustainable method offers a promising route toward circularity in scalable perovskite photovoltaic technologies.

Environmental concerns over plastic waste and food safety have driven the development of smart and biodegradable active packaging materials. This study reports an intelligent bioplastic film capable of real-time monitoring of food freshness. Cellulose fibers (CFs) were extracted from pineapple crown waste through alkali and hydrogen peroxide treatment, followed by citric acid hydrolysis to enhance crystallinity. The extraction yield of cellulose fibers was 48.25 ± 0.37%, with a crystallinity index of 78.54%, confirming the effective removal of amorphous components. The obtained cellulose fibers were incorporated as reinforcing agents into cassava starch films containing a fixed amount of purple cabbage anthocyanin extract (2 mL, 255.49 mg L⁻¹). Mechanical analysis revealed that the optimal cellulose concentration was 16 wt%. The resulting intelligent bioplastic film exhibited an apparent color change from red to green or yellow, consistent with the behavior of an anthocyanin solution. During shrimp storage, the film functioned as a freshness indicator, changing color from purple to blue upon exposure to volatile amines such as trimethylamine (TMA), dimethylamine (DMA), and ammonia (NH₃). These findings demonstrate the potential of this intelligent biodegradable packaging for real-time food quality monitoring and environmental sustainability.

Polyurethane plastics are essential in many consumer and commercial products such as insulation, furniture, automotive interiors, and clothing. Pathways for producing polyurethane from microalgae offer an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts and can incorporate processes that avoid the use of toxic isocyanates typically used in conventional polyurethane production processes. In this study, the greenhouse gas emissions, fossil energy, and water consumption of biobased polyurethane and biobased non-isocyanate polyurethane were evaluated via life-cycle analysis using the R&D Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technologies model. Microalgae-based polyurethane foam was found to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions of up to 79% compared with conventional polyurethane foam production. The greenhouse gas reductions for the non-isocyanate microalgae polyurethane pathway are slightly lower at 58% compared with conventional polyurethane foam. However, it offers additional benefits by reducing toxicity potential compared to the isocyanate polyurethane pathway. The analysis also included a biorefinery-level analysis to evaluate the impact of incorporating polyurethane production into fuel-processing microalgae biorefineries. The sensitivity analyses conducted in this study reveal that improved algae cultivation strategies can lead to decreases of up to 127% and 80% in GHG emissions from the baseline process of Bio-PU and Bio-NIPU, respectively. Likewise, implementation of renewable electricity can result in up to 128% and 74% lower GHG emissions compared to the baseline production of Bio-PU and Bio-NIPU, respectively. Finally, the analysis evaluated different coproduct handling methods including displacement and allocation (based on mass, energy, and market-value). The results suggest that it is important to consider both the displacement and allocation methods as these led to significant differences in the environmental impacts.