Publicaties

Plastic polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) may contain chemical additives, such as lead (Pb), that are leachable in aqueous solution. The fragmentation into microplastics (MPs) of plastics such as PVC may facilitate desorption of chemical additives and increase exposure of aquatic animals. In this study, the role of chemical additives in the aqueous toxicity of PVC, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) MPs ...

Concerns about the presence of microplastics in the environment has increased in recent years, prompting more attention from scientists. Thorough exposure studies using artificially produced microplastics containing additives are required to assess their potentially hazardous effects. Therefore, an efficient microplastic production and fractionation protocol was established using a cryogenic grinding and wet-sieving approach. The developed ...

The effect of the initial cross-link, as well as process parameters, such as heating rate and temperature, was investigated on the pyrolysis of poly butadiene rubber (PBR) using a semi-batch stirred reactor and a TG equipment. To better evaluate the degradation mechanisms of polybutadiene rubber, the degradation of polyvinyl chloride was also investigated at similar heating rates using TG instrument. The results showed that due to the production ...

Due to the expansion in the global population, there is an increase in animal protein demand and waste generation. Currently, food waste derived from supermarkets, etc., which is used to produce biogas, is collected separately and can contain (micro)plastics deriving from food packaging, imposing potential risks to the environment. A possible solution to address protein, waste and plastic concerns can potentially be achieved by rearing black ...

The increasing global population and demand for animal proteins result in an increased production of feed sources like fish- and soybean meal. This exerts considerable pressure on our planet, due to more deforestation, land and water overuse, and overfishing. Additionally, global municipal waste is also rapidly increasing, consisting for 32 to 50 % of food and greens, which is largely anaerobically digested to produce biogas at present. However, ...

The increasing global population and demand for animal proteins result in an increased production of feed sources like fish- and soybean meal. This exerts considerable pressure on our planet, due to more deforestation, land and water overuse, and overfishing. Additionally, global municipal waste is also rapidly increasing, consisting for 32 to 50 % of food and greens, which is largely anaerobically digested to produce biogas at present. However, ...

Protein adsorption onto polymers remains a problem. In recent years, several protein-repellent PVC tubings have been developed. Although several studies report the interaction between plasma coagulation proteins and PVC, few address the interaction with other plasma proteins. Two commercial brands of untreated medical grade PVC tubing, phosphorylcholine-coated PVC tubing, triblock-copolymer ...

There is an urgent need for green technologies to remove halogens from halogenated polymers at the end of their lifetime. Ionic liquids (ILs) were used to dehydrochlorinate and/or dissolve the chlorinated polymers poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE). The dehydrochlorination activity of an IL depends mainly on its anion and is related to the high hydrogen-bond-accepting ability (beta value) of the anion. Different ...

A detailed investigation of the kinetic irreversibility-reversibility concept is presented on the basis of the analysis of four side reactions occurring in the polymerization of poly(vinyl chloride), the intramolecular 1,5- and 1,6-backbiting and 1,2-and 2,3-Cl shift side reactions. Density functional theory-based reactivity indices combined with an analysis of the reaction force are invoked to probe this concept. The reaction force analysis is ...

H-1 and C-13 chemical shifts of PVC chains have been evaluated using quantum chemistry methods in order to evidence and interpret the NMR signatures of chains bearing unsaturated and branched defects. The geometrical structures of the stable conformers have been determined using molecular mechanics and the OPLS force field and then density functional theory with the B3LYP functional and the 6-311G(d) basis set. The nuclear shielding tensor has ...