Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Disposal of plastic mulching film through CO2-assisted catalytic pyrolysis as a strategic means for microplastic mitigation

Researchers proposed CO2-assisted catalytic pyrolysis of spent agricultural plastic mulching film as an environmentally safer disposal route than conventional incineration or landfilling, which release harmful chemicals and microplastics. Using CO2 as a raw material in the pyrolysis process produced hydrogen and hydrocarbons while reducing harmful byproduct emissions.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Functional use of CO2 to mitigate the formation of bisphenol A in catalytic pyrolysis of polycarbonate

Researchers developed an environmentally sound pyrolysis method using CO2 to reduce bisphenol A formation during the thermal treatment of polycarbonate plastic waste, offering a safer approach to plastic waste valorization.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Recovery of gaseous fuels through CO2-mediated pyrolysis of thermosetting polymer waste

This study examined CO2-assisted pyrolysis as a method to recover gaseous fuels from mixed plastic waste, testing how CO2 atmosphere affects product yields and composition. The approach offers a potential chemical recycling route that reduces reliance on fossil fuel feedstocks.

2024 Chemosphere 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Valorization of synthetic textile waste using CO2 as a raw material in the catalytic pyrolysis process

Researchers developed a catalytic pyrolysis process using CO2 as a raw material to valorise synthetic textile waste, addressing microplastic release from synthetic fibres as an upstream source reduction strategy. Thermal cracking of waste textiles under CO2 produced syngas and CH4, demonstrating a pathway to convert non-biodegradable synthetic fibre waste into value-added products.

2020 Environmental Pollution 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of a real mixture of post-consumer plastic waste: An analysis of the gasoline-range product

Researchers performed thermal and catalytic pyrolysis on real post-consumer plastic waste mixtures using various catalysts, finding that polymer type strongly influenced gas, liquid, and char yields, and that zeolite catalysts produced gasoline-range hydrocarbon liquids with commercially viable compositions from mixed plastic feedstocks.

2022 Process Safety and Environmental Protection 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Carbon nanotubes production from real-world waste plastics and the pyrolysis behaviour

Researchers produced carbon nanotubes from real-world waste plastics through pyrolysis, characterizing the thermal decomposition behavior of mixed plastic waste and demonstrating a valuable upcycling pathway for plastic pollution.

2023 Waste Management 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards fuels production by a catalytic pyrolysis of a real mixture of post-consumer plastic waste

Researchers tested in-situ catalytic pyrolysis of a real mixed post-consumer plastic waste stream from mechanical-biological treatment facilities, producing a liquid fuel fraction with properties comparable to gasoline, kerosene, and diesel.

2023 Fuel 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollutants to Products: A Tailored Multicomponent Photocatalyst for Simultaneous CO 2 and Plastic Waste Conversion

Researchers developed a photocatalyst that simultaneously converts CO2 and PET plastic waste into useful chemicals (CO, methane, ethylene glycol) using only light, with CO2 reduced at over 95% selectivity. The dual-use design eliminates the need for chemical sacrificial agents by using plastic as the electron donor for CO2 reduction. Beyond plastic recycling, the system also suggests a pathway for degrading microplastics, offering a single solar-driven process that tackles two major pollution problems at once.

2026 Small
Article Tier 2

Low-cost activated carbon from the pyrolysis of post-consumer plastic waste and the application in CO2 capture

Researchers prepared low-cost activated carbon from char residue generated during the pyrolysis of post-consumer plastic waste and tested its application for CO2 capture. The study demonstrates that plastic waste pyrolysis byproducts can be repurposed into useful porous materials, offering a dual benefit of chemical recycling and carbon capture.

2023 Process Safety and Environmental Protection 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic Waste Management towards Energy Recovery during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Example of Protective Face Mask Pyrolysis

Researchers analyzed the elemental composition and pyrolysis behavior of COVID-19 protective face masks, finding that pyrolysis at 400-900 degrees Celsius could effectively recover energy from pandemic-related plastic waste that overwhelmed conventional waste management systems.

2022 Energies 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Thermal oxo-degradation of plastic wastes to valuable compounds

Researchers advanced thermal oxo-degradation as an alternative to conventional pyrolysis for plastic waste upcycling, demonstrating that introducing air into the thermal reaction accelerates depolymerization of high-density polyethylene and polypropylene while maintaining energy-dense condensable product yields.

2024
Article Tier 2

Base- or acid-assisted polystyrene plastic degradation in supercritical CO2

Researchers demonstrated that polystyrene plastic can be chemically degraded in supercritical CO₂ at 400°C when assisted by base or acid solutions, finding the process converts PS into hydrogen-rich gases and could offer a feasible route for disposing of plastic waste.

2023 Waste Disposal & Sustainable Energy 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic regulates its co-pyrolysis process with biomass: Influencing factors, model calculations, and mechanisms

Researchers investigated co-pyrolysis of plastics and biomass, finding that varying the hydrogen-to-carbon ratio of biomass feedstocks influences synergistic effects on bio-oil quality, offering a strategy to improve plastic waste valorization.

2022 Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Transforming a mixture of real post-consumer plastic waste into activated carbon for biogas upgrading

Researchers explored converting mixed post-consumer plastic waste into activated carbon through pyrolysis and chemical activation for use in biogas purification. The resulting activated carbon demonstrated effective carbon dioxide adsorption capacity comparable to commercial alternatives. The study suggests that transforming hard-to-recycle plastic waste into useful carbon materials could offer a circular economy solution for both plastic pollution and renewable energy production.

2024 Process Safety and Environmental Protection 13 citations
Article Tier 2

[Research progress on the feasibility of carbonization treatment for addressing plastic residual pollution].

This review examines emerging carbonization technologies as alternatives to traditional plastic waste disposal methods like landfilling and incineration. Researchers found that techniques such as co-thermal decomposition and hydrothermal carbonization can convert plastic waste into valuable carbon materials like biochar, which can then be used for microplastic adsorption and soil remediation. The study notes that challenges including unclear reaction mechanisms and high energy costs still hinder large-scale application.

2026 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Harnessing CO₂ for the Development of Biodegradable Polymers: A Review of Innovations in Green Chemistry

This review covers recent advances in making biodegradable polymers from captured CO2, an approach that simultaneously reduces greenhouse gas emissions and creates plastic alternatives that break down more readily than conventional plastics. The authors survey catalyst development, polymerization methods, and material properties of CO2-derived polymers like polycarbonates and polyurethanes. While not about existing microplastic pollution, replacing conventional plastics with CO2-based biodegradable materials could reduce both carbon emissions and long-term microplastic accumulation in the environment.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent developments in catalytic materials and reactors for the catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste into hydrogen: a critical review with a focus on the circular economy

This review examines recent developments in catalytic materials and reactor designs for converting plastic waste into hydrogen through pyrolysis. The study discusses how catalyst-assisted pyrolysis can transform plastic waste into valuable hydrogen fuel, contributing to circular economy goals while addressing the growing plastic pollution problem.

2025 RSC Advances 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Upcycling of the Used Cigarette Butt Filters through Pyrolysis Process: Detailed Kinetic Mechanism with Bio-Char Characterization

Researchers pyrolyzed used cigarette butt cellulose acetate filters and characterized the thermochemical decomposition kinetics in detail, successfully valorizing this waste stream into carbon precursor materials through pre-carbonization and carbonization stages.

2023 Polymers 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic Effects and Mechanistic Insights into the Co-Hydropyrolysis of Chilean Oak and Polyethylene: Unlocking the Potential of Biomass–Plastic Valorisation

This paper is not about microplastics; it studies the co-pyrolysis of wood biomass and polyethylene plastics in a hydrogen atmosphere to produce cleaner bio-oil, investigating synergistic thermochemical reactions.

2023 Polymers 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid degradation of microplastics by catalyst-free gliding arc plasmatron

A catalyst-free gliding arc plasmatron (GAP) system achieved complete degradation of mixed microplastics within 2–4 minutes, producing primarily non-hazardous CO2 as a gas product, demonstrating a simple and energy-compatible approach to rapid microplastic treatment compatible with distributed renewable energy.

2025 Chemical Communications 3 citations