Currently, around 60% of all plastics ever produced remain in waste sites, causing an annual economic loss estimated between $80-120 billion USD. Plastic production, which accounts for 6% of global oil usage, is projected to grow to 20% by 2050. Under harsh landfill and environmental conditions, plastics are subjected to factors such as high salinity, fluctuating temperatures, gas emissions, and microbial interactions. These conditions contribute to the breakdown of plastics into microplastics, which can harm marine ecosystems, wildlife, and human health through food contamination. Our lab applies expertise in catalysis, reaction engineering, and advanced separation techniques like two-dimensional gas chromatography and artificial intelligence to investigate the fundamental chemistry that drives mixed plastic recycling technologies. In this talk, I will demonstrate how a combination of well-defined, controlled experimentation, data science, and advanced analytics enables the collection of experimental data that can aid in refining process design and identifying potential contaminants.
Date and Time
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Location
312 Agricultural Engineering Building or Online
Presenters