Award Data

The goal of this Phase I research project is to investigate the feasibility and commercial potential of using the One Atmosphere Uniform Glow Discharge Plasma (OAUGDPTM) as a low-temperature sterilization process for medical equipment. Current sterilization technologies that pose a risk to health care workers and the environment are being phased out of use (e.g., ethylene oxide sterilization). T ...

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Caviton has developed a novel technique for the continuous monitoring of trace metals emissions. This technique is based on a microdischarge light, which is collected by a spectrometer and analyzed. All metals tested to date can b detected and the focus of this Phase II project is to develop a sampling system, carry out laboratory tests, then move to field tests of sampling and analysis. Finall ...

THE COST OF OFF-GAS TREATMENT DURING REMEDIATION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES CAN TYPICALLY INCREASE THE COST BY 50% OR MORE. THIS RESEARCH IS TARGETED TOWARDS DEVELOPING A SIMPLE COST EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY TO DESTROY CHLORINATED ORGANIC SOLVENTS IN THE VAPOR PHASE. THE PROCESS USES A DRY CHEMICAL AT A SLIGHTLY ELEVATED TEMPERATURE. THE RESEARCH INVOLVES TESTING OF A VARIETY OF RELATED DRY CHEMICALS IN ...

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RESEARCH WILL BE CONDUCTED BY HICHEM CORPORATION, TO DEVELOP A NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR PYROLYSIS OF SCRAP TIRES. DISPOSAL OF USED TIRES IS A BIG PROBLEM IN THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY USA, SINCE MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION TIRES ARE DISCARDED EACH YEAR. MOST OF THESE TIRES ARE DISPOSED IN LANDFILLS. PYROLYSIS OF SCRAP TIRES HELPS TO RECOVER AND REUSE MOST OF THE VALUABLE CHEMICAL AVAILABLE IN TIRES. PYROLYSIS OF S ...

THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF COMPANIES PROCESSING POST-CONSUMER PLASTICS FROM PRODUCTS SUCH AS SOFT DRINK CONTAINERS, DETERGENT BOTTLES, MILK JUGS AND WATER BOTTLES. WHILE THIS HAS TO SOME EXTENT DIVERTED THESE MATERIALS FROM LANDFILLS, IT HAS CAUSED AN ECONOMIC ANOMALY. THE HIGH COSTS OF MANUALLY SORTING THE PLASTICS SO THEY CAN BE REPROCESSED MAKES THEM UNA ...

DIVERSION OF PLASTICS FROM LANDFILL TO RECYCLING CAN POTENTIALLY SAVE THE ENERGY EQUIVALENT OF 60 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL ANNUALLY AND REDUCE LANDFILL VOLUME REQUIRMENTS BY UP TO 20%. THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAS RECOMMENDED THAT SOURCE REDUCTION, RECYCLING, VOLUME REDUCTION, AND LANDFILLING BE APPLIED, IN THAT ORDER, IN THE TREATMENT OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE (MSW). RECYCLING HAS RE ...

EACH YEAR, AMERICANS DISPOSE OF AN ESTIMATED 29 BILLION POUNDS OF PLASTICS WHICH CONSUME UP TO 20% OF OUR NATION'S ANNUAL LANDFILL CAPACITY. RECENT ENVIRONMENTAL AND POLITICAL PRESSURES HAVE LED TO RAPID ESTABLISHMENT OF PLASTICS RECYCLING FACILITIES. LIMITED MARKETS FOR LOW QUALITY RECYCLED RESINS REQUIRE RECLAIMERS TO PRODUCE THE HIGHEST QUALITY RECYCLED RESINS IN ORDER TO COMPETE WITH VIRGIN RE ...

In order for plastics recycling to be a viable alternative in the long term, the recycled resins must be competitive with virgin resins both in terms of economics and purity. Current processing technologies utilize either hand sorting or automated sorting on the bottle level. However, there are many sources of contamination other than whole bottles, which will remain in the stream using whole bot ...