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Thermochemical processing of organic wastes for sustainable valorisation and energy recovery: A review of recent contributions to the field
No full textThis paper reviews the current knowledge on the thermochemical processing of organic waste for sustainable valorisation and presents its impacts on energy recovery. We focused on novel, low-cost, and highly efficient thermochemical methods for converting organic waste into energy. Thermochemical processes for waste management are reported as sustainable alternatives for energy recovery, while generating other by-products for various applications. Thermochemical methods include hydrothermal processes, pyrolysis, and gasification. Additionally, torrefaction has been extensively studied in recent years for the pre-treatment of feedstock. Combustion and incineration are not discussed in this review, as conversion of carbon-rich feedstock into energy and valuable chemicals through gasification has several advantages over them. Recent contributions in this field have focused on enhancing the specificity of thermochemical processes for the sustainable valorisation of organic waste into high-value products. Waste valorisation fulfils the concept of biorefineries and the use of renewable energy, which helps attain the Sustainable Development Goals. Since thermochemical processing offers excellent opportunities to transform waste into valuable resources, this review paper will also highlight these crucial aspects within the concept of circular bioeconomy
Mechanical Performance of 3D-Printed PLA after Artificial Aging
No full textThis study examines the mechanical performance of a 3D-printed PLA quadcopter arm fabricated with reduced infill density and subjected to artificial aging. The aging process simulated real-world environmental exposure through thermal cycling, humidity, UV/IR radiation, and freeze-thaw conditions. Tensile strength testing was conducted to assess mechanical integrity, while FTIR spectroscopy, colorimetric analysis, and wettability measurements were employed to evaluate material degradation. Despite a notable reduction in mechanical strength, the component maintained functional performance throughout the testing period. Numerical simulations further supported the experimental findings by identifying stress concentration zones and the onset of plastic deformation. Importantly, even after aging and with a low infill density of 30%, the quadcopter arm demonstrated the ability to withstand a load of 2.0 kg. These results highlight the potential of low-infill PLA components for use in lightweight and cost-effective drone applications, where both mechanical resilience and material efficiency are critical
Concrete based on C&D waste for reducing urban heat islands
No full textThe trend of rapid global urbanization is one of the main aspects to be considered as a foundation for
future sustainable civil engineering and urbanistic practice development. Currently, more than half of the
world's population resides in cities. By 2050, that number is predicted to rise to 70%. Urbanization leads to
environmental issues such as surface warming and air pollution. In the cities, these problems are caused
predominantly by urban heat islands (UHI). The scientific and engineering community is currently dealing
with issues such as a lack of afforestation, CO2 emissions from the building industry, city-generated GHG
emissions, UHI, and construction and demolition waste (C&DW). UHI results from characteristics of densely
populated metropolitan regions, such as increased anthropogenic heat emissions, increased solar radiation
absorption rate, decreased solar reflectance, decreased heat capacity, and decreased turbulent heat movement.
The wider investigation is currently beaning conducted to target critical locations and to create an interactive
map of UHI for the City of Belgrade. The goal of the here presented study is to design reflective material, i.e.,
concrete paver units based on C&DW with increased whiteness and improved Albedo effect. The concrete
paving units (inorganic C&DW-based concrete - IWC) are prepared, tested, and subsequently, their design is
optimized. C&DW has been frequently used in the production of paving units, however, there are very few
publications that consider the influence of colour and albedo in such materials. The existing literature mostly
relates to asphalt concrete while goal of this work is to produce normal-weight concrete units. The optimal
IWC mix-design is obtained by varying w/c factor (0.4-0.55), filler content (10–30%), and filler type
(pulverized tiles, stone, or sanitary elements), RCA content (0-50%), and additives (superplasticizers).
Laboratory-scale testing on the samples includes: hydration mechanisms and mineralogical changes,
microstructural characteristics, workability, slump test, density, depth of penetration of water under pressure,
determination of rebound number, ultrasound pulse velocity, and mechanical strengths. The prolonged
durability of the samples is assessed by testing the freeze-thaw cycles with or without the application of deicing
salts. Reflectometric characterization of samples is conducted according to ASTM C1549. The paver
units' performances are in line with the EN and SRPS standards. Newly designed pavement units do more than
'consume' waste; they also lower ambient temperatures by enhancing reflectivity (albedo). The future work
will include installing obtained paver units on the selected pilot UHI locations, monitoring and assessing the
effect they have on decrease of the ambient temperature. In light of the urbanistic tendency of larger public
spaces where biophilic design is difficult to integrate, this is a suitable answer for years to come. The AEC
benefits the most (from a practical and scientific standpoint), since it obtains control of C&DW, reuses it,
decreases CO2 and GHG emissions, and keeps the expected temperature increase below 1.5°C, which is also
in agreement with Net-zero objectives
Multivariant analysis of laboratory-reconstructed historical mortars
No full textThis study investigates laboratory-reconstructed historical mortars. Samples combined lime, sand, and a
pozzolanic component. Fly ash from thermal power plants was included, known for its contribution to longterm
durability. Analyses were conducted using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to determine chemical composition,
X-ray diffraction (XRD) for mineral phase identification, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to assess mass
changes during heating, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to monitor binder and pozzolan
reactions, and petrography for microscopic characterization of aggregates and microstructure. Multivariate
statistical methods, including principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares regression (PLS), and
self-organizing maps (SOM), were applied to identify factors affecting strength, porosity, and durability.
Results show that fly ash addition reduces mortar porosity by approximately 15 % compared to the control
sample without pozzolan and contributes to micro-crack self-healing, supporting development of restoration
protocols compatible with historical structures
From Invasive Species to Sustainable Nutrition: Safety, Nutritional, and Consumer Perception Study on Faxonius limosus in Serbia
No full textFaxonius limosus is an invasive alien crayfish species that has a negative effect on aquatic
biodiversity. Using its meat as food could help reduce its ecological impact while providing
a protein source. In order to do that, the initial step was to determine safety and nutritional
parameters of crayfish meat. Samples from two localities were analyzed for energy value,
moisture, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrates, fatty acid and amino acid composition, and
macro- and micro-mineral content. Moreover, an online survey was conducted in order to
evaluate the public’s current knowledge about invasive alien species and willingness to
consume crayfish meat as a food product. Heavy metal concentrations (Hg, Pb, Cd) were
below European Commission limits, confirming safety. The meat had a high protein content
(16.68%), low fat (0.22%), and a favorable fatty acid profile with notable levels of omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA). Predominant macro-minerals were K, Na, Ca, Mg, and P, while Zn, Cu, Fe,
and Mn were the most abundant micro-minerals. Even though most participants (79.7%)
were not informed about Faxonius limosus, the majority expressed willingness to participate
in the assessment of new products made from invasive crayfish. These findings suggest
that F. limosus meat is a nutritionally valuable and safe alternative protein source, with
potential for sustainable food production and ecological management
Ecological characteristics of the soil around the coal ore basins of Serbia, surface and underground coal exploitation and environmental impact – Review of few selected cases
No full textBrojna razmatranja domaće naučne i stručne javnosti o uticaju rudarske eksploatacije ugljeva u Srbiji ocenjuju je kao krajnje nepovoljnu privrednu aktivnost. Objedinjujući sve ’’rekla-kazala’’ informacije, uglavnom od krajnje nekredibilnih osoba javnost dolazi do zaključaka da ’’pod hitno’’ treba obustaviti sve te aktivnosti (otkopavanje, prerada, sagorevanje, proizvodnja električne energije) na uglju i iznaći alternativna rešenja. Osnovna premisa tih nepotvrđenih zaključaka javnosti je da navedene ugljarske aktivnosti u velikoj meri zagađuju životnu sredinu (tlo, površinske i podzemne vode, vazduh, itd.…) teškim metalima, a koji mogu biti izuzetno toksični i utiču na zdravlje ljudi, biljaka i životinja. Način na koji se ugljarska industrija nosi sa tim problemima je krajnje stručan i sistemski, kojom prilikom zalazi u krajnje neispitanu oblast, obzirom da je ekološka problematika u Srbiji aktuelna poslednjih deset ili malo više godina. U Srbiji postoje dve generalizovane celine ugljarstva – EPS (veliki površinski kopovi lignita Kolubare i Kostolca) sa jedne strane i PEU RESAVICA - brojni manji rudnici uglja (lignit, mrki) sa jamskom eksploatacijom širom Srbije. Kostolačko-Kovinski ugljonosni basen sa ukupno 5,7B tona geoloških resursa; kao i Kolubarski ugljonosni basen sa 4,1B t resursa, u oba oko 10B t lignita, predstavljaju okosnicu rudarske proizvodnje u Srbiji, dajući joj oko 99% otkopanih količina uglja. Na oba rudnika vrše se obimna ’’ekološka’’ ispitivanja uglja, kao i pratećih sedimenata, tla, površinskih i podzemnih voda. Ostatak proizvodnje čine brojni manji rudnici sa jamskom eksploatacijom raštrkani širom Srbije. Ovom prilikom obrađujemo ’’ekološke’’ podatke tla iz EPS-vih rudnika i rudnika preduzeća PEU RESAVICA (rudnika Štavalj kod Sjenice, Lubnica kod Zaječara i Jasenovac kod Krepoljina). Ovim radom bavimo se geohemijskim karateristikama tla oko navedenih pet rudnika i vršimo uporednu analizu uticaja na životnu sredinu. U daljim poglavljima obradićemo ovu problematiku.Numerous considerations of the domestic scientific and professional public on the impact of coal mining exploitation in Serbia evaluate it as an extremely unfavorable economic activity. Combining all the "said-said" information, mostly from extremely unreliable persons, the public concludes that "as a matter of urgency" all those activities (excavation, processing, combustion, electricity production) on coal should be stopped and alternative solutions should be found. The basic premise of those unconfirmed public conclusions is that the aforementioned coal mining activities greatly pollute the environment (soil, surface and underground water, air, etc.) with heavy metals, which can be extremely toxic and affect the health of people, plants and animals. The way in which the coal industry deals with these problems is extremely professional and systemic, which in some cases enters an extremely unexplored area, given that environmental problems in Serbia have been current for the last ten years or more. In Serbia, there are two generalized units of coal mining - EPS (large surface lignite mines of Kolubara and Kostolac) on the one hand and PEU RESAVICA - numerous smaller coal mines (lignite, brown) with pit exploitation throughout Serbia. Kostolac-Kovin coal basin with 5.7B t of geological resources; as well as the Kolubara coal basin with 4.1B t of resources, both around 10B t of coal, represent the backbone of mining production in Serbia. They provide about 99% of the mined quantities of coal. At both mines, extensive "ecological" tests of coal, as well as accompanying sediments, soil, surface and underground water, are performed. The rest of the production is made up of numerous smaller pit mines scattered throughout Serbia. On this occasion, we are processing "ecological" soil data from the underground mines Štavalj nearby Sjenica, Lubnica nearby Zaječar and Jasenovac nearby Krepoljin. In this work, we deal with the geochemical characteristics of the soil around the mentioned five mines and perform a comparative analysis of the impact on the environment. We will deal with this issue in the following chapters
Izrada deklaracija proizvoda o zaštiti životne sredine (EPD) za građevinske proizvode od gline u skladu sa EN 15804
No full textDeklaracije proizvoda o zaštiti životne sredine (Environmental Product Declarations-
EPDs) za blokove od gline i crepove su od suštinske važnosti za postizanje održivosti u
građevinskoj industriji. Ocenjivanje životnog ciklusa (Life Cycle Assessment-LCA) ovih proizvoda
obuhvata sve faze njihovog životnog ciklusa, pružajući informacije o njihovom uticaju na životnu
sredinu. Ispunjavanje zahteva i smernica standarda EN 15804, opštih programskih uputstava
(General Programme Instructions-GPI) za Međunarodni EPD Sistem (International EPD System) i
pravila za kategorizaciju proizvoda (Product Category Rules-PCR) za opekarske proizvode
osigurava validnost i uporedivost EPD deklaracija. Upotrebom naprednih alata u
specijalizovanom programu kao što je „One Click LCA“, deo platforme EPD Hub (Irska),
unapređuje se proces kreiranja EPD deklaracija za građevinske proizvode od gline
Development of Porous Concrete Pavements with Waste Materials for Flood Control
No full textAn inventive design for porous concrete pavement slabs was established in this study. Following the "circularity" agenda and zero waste principles, the design of the permeable concrete mix was founded on several waste/byproduct raw materials, including solidified wastewater treatment sludge (SWS), modified solidified wastewater treatment sludge (MWS), and waste from the desulfurization process (WFDP). Porous concrete was made using cement, waste resources, admixtures, and natural and/or artificial aggregates as component materials. Bulk density, water absorption, compressive and flexural tensile strength, load-bearing capacity, resistance to frost and salt, and abrasion resistance were assessed. Changes in durability and mechanical qualities were tracked as the amount of waste material increased. This study provides a deeper understanding of the properties and possible uses of environmentally modified (green) porous concrete pavement slabs, or pavers, to lower the danger of flooding in urban settings. This concrete is considered environmentally friendly material for sustainable construction because of its porous structure, which significantly assists in regulating stormwater runoff, ensuring infiltration, and reducing the number of pollutants before they reach the groundwater. It has been demonstrated that a specific percentage of recycled materials may be incorporated into porous concrete without compromising the long-term viability or usefulness of permeable concrete, therefore complying with the Zero Waste Agenda and Circular Economy principles
Rheological and mechanical behaviour of self-compacting concrete using modified recycled concrete aggregate
No full textConstruction and demolition waste is increasingly used as a raw material in concrete manufacture which can assist in addressing environmental challenges associated with its disposal. In this study, recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is used in Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC). As such, the work fills the gap in the literature by examining the influence of RCA impregnated with water glass solution on the physical and mechanical properties of fresh and hardened SCCs. Five different SCC mixtures are developed and tested. The replacement factor for RCA is 50 % (fractions II (4/8) and III (8/16)). Tests on hardened concrete reveal that the influence of water glass varies depending on the component it is coupled with, i.e., the combination with fly ash provides a maximal strength gain over 90 days, while the combination with silica fume gives low compressive strength during the entire testing period of 90 days