Recent trends in biodegradable polymers indicate significant developments in terms of novel design strategies and engineering to provide advanced polymers with comparably good performance. However, there are several inadequacies in terms of either technology or cost of production especially in the case of applications in environmental pollution. So, there is a need to have a fresh perspective on the design, properties and functions of these polymers with a view to developing strategies for future developments. The paper reviews the present state-of-art on biodegradable polymers and discusses the salient features of the design and properties of biodegradable polymers. Special emphasis is given to the problems and prospects of (1) approaches adopted to make non-biodegradable synthetic polymers such as polyethylene biodegradable and (2) biodegradable polymers and copolymers made from renewable resources especially poly(lactic acid) based polymers and copolymers which are emerging as the candidate biodegradable materials for the future.

Biodegradable Polymers- A Review on Recent Trends and Emerging Perspectives

Due to the depleting fossil fuel sources such as crude oil, natural gas, and coal, the present rate of economic growth is unsustainable. Therefore, many sources of renewable energy have been exploited, but the potentials of some other sources such as plastics waste are yet to be fully developed as full scale economic activity. Development and modernization have brought about a huge increase in the production of all kinds of plastic commodities, which directly or indirectly generate waste due to their wide range of applications coupled with their versatility of types and relatively low cost. The current scenario of the plastic recycling technology is reviewed in this paper. The aim is to provide the reader with an in-depth analysis with respect to the pyrolysis of plastic waste as obtained in the current recycling technology. As the calorific value of the plastics is comparable to that of hydrocarbon fuel, production of fuel from plastic waste would provide a good opportunity to utilize the waste as a better alternative to dumpsites. Different techniques of converting plastics waste into fuel including thermal and catalytic pyrolysis, microwave-assisted pyrolysis and fluid catalytic cracking are discussed in detail. The co-pyrolysis of plastics waste with biomass is also highlighted. Thus, an attempt was made to address the problem of plastic waste disposal as a partial replacement of the depleting fossil fuel with the hope of promoting a sustainable environment.

Current state and future prospects of plastic waste as source of fuel: A review

Lipid oxidation is, together with microbial growth, the main cause of spoilage of a great variety of foods, such as nuts, fish, meats, whole milk powders, sauces and oils. It causes a loss of both sensorial and nutritional quality of foods and may even lead to the formation of toxic aldehydes. Some strategies that are commonly used to limit the extent of lipid oxidation of packaged foods are direct addition of antioxidants or packaging under modified atmospheres in which oxygen presence is limited. A novel alternative to these methods is antioxidant active packaging, whose main advantage is that it can provide sustained release of antioxidants during storage. This article reviews the latest advances in antioxidant active food packaging, with special emphasis on antioxidant release systems. The various methods for incorporating antioxidant compounds in the package, the issues to be considered in packaging design, and the various methods employed to date to evaluate the antioxidant effectiveness of active antioxidant materials are reviewed.

Advances in antioxidant active food packaging

Computers and the collaborative experience of learning

The growing use of plastics in agriculture has enabled farmers to increase their crop production. One major drawback of most polymers used in agriculture is the problem with their disposal, following their useful life-time. Non-degradable polymers, being resistive to degradation (depending on the polymer, additives, conditions etc) tend to accumulate as plastic waste, creating a serious problem of plastic waste management. In cases such plastic waste ends-up in landfills or it is buried in soil, questions are raised about their possible effects on the environment, whether they biodegrade at all, and if they do, what is the rate of (bio?)degradation and what effect the products of (bio?)degradation have on the environment, including the effects of the additives used. Possible degradation of agricultural plastic waste should not result in contamination of the soil and pollution of the environment (including aesthetic pollution or problems with the agricultural products safety). Ideally, a degradable polymer should be fully biodegradable leaving no harmful substances in the environment. Most experts and acceptable standards define a fully biodegradable polymer as a polymer that is completely converted by microorganisms to carbon dioxide, water, mineral and biomass, with no negative environmental impact or ecotoxicity. However, part of the ongoing debate concerns the question of what is an acceptable period of time for the biodegradation to occur and how this is measured. Many polymers that are claimed to be ‘biodegradable’ are in fact ‘bioerodable’, ‘hydrobiodegradable’, ‘photodegradable’, controlled degradable or just partially biodegradable. This review paper attempts to delineate the definition of degradability of polymers used in agriculture. Emphasis is placed on the controversial issues regarding biodegradability of some of these polymers.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs10924-007-0063-6.pdf

Biodegradation of Agricultural Plastic Films: A Critical Review

As already known, one of the most attracting event organized for general public is represented by the European Researchers’ Night, which targets to bring near Science and Research all the interested actors, having actually a major coverage in more than 30 countries and almost 300 cities, being organized on the last Friday, in September.On the other hand, this event offers a good opportunity for disseminating the outputs designed in several projects that have as objective to promote science and scientific literacy to different target groups, starting from the young learners, to various stakeholders, less or not involved in research activities. In this respect, in the frame of the FP7 project called IRRESISTIBLE, in Romania, the European Researchers’ Night was organized at the National Complex Museum “Curtea Domneasca” Târgoviste (History Museum & Museum of Romanian Police), gathering scientific demonstrations, interactive presentations, experimental activities and discussions, but also a dedicated Science exhibition, named: “The World of Nanomaterials and Solar Energy”. Most of the visitors were young students, but also general public was interested to participate to this event. The paper illustrates some aspects related to the participation to the event, but also the feedback recorded from the participants concerning responsible research and innovation aspects that have to be retrieved in the educational practice.

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A Point where Science and Research Meet Young Students and Interested Stakeholders – The European Researchers’ Night

Teachers’ Perception Related to the Promotion of Nanotechnology Concepts in Romanian Science Education

/pdf/risk-assessment-of-information-and-communication-technology-3qmawxns66.pdf

Risk assessment of information and communication technology use in multinational educational projects

/pdf/science-as-an-integrated-approach-a-demarche-focused-on-1mmzswkohw.pdf

Science as an Integrated Approach – A Démarche Focused on Promoting the Competencies for Life

We live in a rapidly changing world in which Science and Technology advance at breakneck speed, and generally speaking, the national education (mainly characterized by conservatism), remains anchored behind the societal changes. In this respect, information related to scientific cutting-edge topics – as: “Nano” World, renewable energy, climate change, smart cities etc. have small chances to be rapidly integrated into the current curriculum for Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) as compulsory studied subjects. The paper tries to identify the role of non-formal educational activities mainly organized and conducted in the frame of the National Programme: “To Know More, To Be Better” (“School in Another Way”) -, on familiarizing the young students with a range of cutting-edge science topics, as those activities were performed in the frame of the European FP7 Research Project called “IRRESISTIBLE Including Responsible Research and Innovation in Cutting Edge Science and Inquiry-based Science Education to Improve Teacher's Ability of Bridging Learning Environments”. © 2016 Published by Future Academy www.FutureAcademy.org.uk

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Laura Monica Gorghiu

Papers

A Point where Science and Research Meet Young Students and Interested Stakeholders – The European Researchers’ Night

Teachers’ Perception Related to the Promotion of Nanotechnology Concepts in Romanian Science Education

Risk assessment of information and communication technology use in multinational educational projects

Science as an Integrated Approach – A Démarche Focused on Promoting the Competencies for Life

The Role of Non-formal Activities on Familiarizing Students with Cutting-Edge Science Topics