Plastic waste generation has increased dramatically every day. Indiscriminate disposal of plastic wastes can lead to several negative impacts on the environment, such as a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution. Therefore, it is wise to think of other alternatives to reduce plastic wastes without affecting the environment, including converting them into valuable products using effective methods such as pyrolysis. Products from the pyrolysis process encompassing of liquid, gas, and solid residues (char) can be turned into beneficial products, as the liquid product can be used as a commercial fuel and char can function as an excellent adsorbent. The char produced from plastic wastes could be modified to enhance carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption performance. Therefore, this review attempts to compile relevant knowledge on the potential of adsorbents derived from waste plastic to capture CO2. This review was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The plastic-waste-derived activated carbon, as an adsorbent, could provide a promising method to solve the two environmental issues (CO2 emission and solid management) simultaneously. In addition, the future perspective on char derived from waste plastics is highlighted.
AbstractThe heavy reliance on fossil fuels, given their inevitable depletion and serious negative impact on the environment, has led to intensive scientific research to produce solutions which will ensure sustainable supply of energy based on renewable sources. Solar radiation is one of the major sources of clean and renewable energy with the potential to provide ample power for the growing human population in the long term. The current energy crisis is aggravated by the escalating concerns over the water quality especially in developing countries. There is great potential for utilisation of solar energy through solar photovoltaic systems throughout the world for electricity generation as well as water and wastewater treatment. Innovations in this area have opened new prospects to improve the quality of life for people as a whole. Hence, the focus of this review paper is to provide the reader with a brief history of solar photovoltaic systems, the various types of solar photovoltaic materials available and the solar cell efficiencies attained with the current solar photovoltaic technologies. Furthermore, applications of photovoltaic systems are discussed in terms of their societal economic and environmental effects.
The rise of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere emphasises the need for improving the current carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. A conventional absorption method that utilises amine-based solvent is known to cause corrosion to process equipment. The solvent is easily degraded and has high energy requirement for regeneration. Amino acids are suitable candidates to replace traditional alkanolamines attributed to their identical amino functional group. In addition, amino acid salt is a green material due to its extremely low toxicity, low volatility, less corrosive, and high efficiency to capture CO2. Previous studies have shown promising results in CO2 capture using amino acids salts solutions and amino acid ionic liquids. Currently, amino acid solvents are also utilised to enhance the adsorption capacity of solid sorbents. This systematic review is the first to summarise the currently available amino acid-based adsorbents for CO2 capture using PRISMA method. Physical and chemical properties of the adsorbents that contribute to effective CO2 capture are thoroughly discussed. A total of four categories of amino acid-based adsorbents are evaluated for their CO2 adsorption capacities. The regeneration studies are briefly discussed and several limitations associated with amino acid-based adsorbents for CO2 capture are presented before the conclusion.
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