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

It is commonly accepted that universities are an important source of new knowledge, especially in the science and technology sector. The mechanisms to transfer this new knowledge from academia to business organizations are widely discussed by many authors. This paper presents how web collaboration environments may help in distance knowledge transfer and also a web conferencing example meant to stress the factors which led to a successful web meeting for knowledge diffusion. There is presented also the positive feedback of the attendees, in the conditions of low participation rate in previous similar experiences.

WEB CONFERENCING - A Tool for Knowledge Transfer between Universities and Business Organizations

In the last decades many researches underlined the alarming decline in young people's interest for key Mathematics and Science studies. In this respect, several efforts are still to be made for attracting the students to learn Science and to be interested by the recent innovations and discoveries in Science and Technology. As part of Science education, learning Nano-science and Nanotechnology by the use of ICT could be a solution for motivating the students due to the wide possibilities for presenting related Science/Technology concepts in multimedia formats. In this sense, the objectives of the LLP KA3-ICT project no. 511787-LLP-1- 2010-1-TR-KA3-KA3MP: "Nano-Tech Science Education" are oriented on searching the most effective ways to introduce the Nanotechnology concepts in Science lessons, in secondary education. The paper illustrates an analysis on the particular data collected from different target groups with the view to identify the most suitable instruments for setting up a specific NanoTech Virtual Lab.

/pdf/teachers-and-students-feedback-concerning-the-use-of-ict-29tyv2kzn8.pdf

Teachers' and students' feedback concerning the use of ICT tools in learning science through nanotechnology

Potassium tetraborate was synthesized by high-temperature solid state reaction. The influence of rare earths (La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho and Yb) as dopants was investigated. Relative thermoluminescence (TL) efficiency for the K 2 B 4 O 7 activation is given. The TL kinetic parameters were evaluated by employing the peak shape method and the results suggest that activated tetraborate systems obey the intermediate order kinetic (1 < b < 2). An attempt was made to explain the thermo-luminescence mechanism according to frequency factor magnitude. The TL dose response is linear ranging from 3 Gy to 6 kGy and there is no indication on response saturation.

Thermo-luminescence of Rare Earths Activated Potassium Tetraborate

Nowadays the mankind is facing more and more difficult problems concerning the environment and life quality that ask for more and more people involved to solve them. In this context, education has a special role to bring in attention the importance of Science knowledge in each individual’s development. Thus, there is very important to increase the students’ interest and motivation to learn more about the Science and Technology and how to this in their daily life. One of the new concepts introduced in Science education was Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) with the hope that involving teachers and students in understanding the role of RRI dimensions we’ll obtain sustainable interactions between schools, research institutions, industry, governance and civil society organisations. It was proved that implementation of RRI principles in Science lessons enhance students’ engagement in solving different scientific problems, increase the critical thinking and develop their collaborative skills.  Introducing the ethics and governance as RRI dimensions in students’ attention will develop their responsibility for solving the complex problems of our world. Due to these benefits, European Union decided to finance different projects to implement RRI in Science Education. One of those projects was the ENGAGE Project (“Equipping the Next Generation for Active Engagement in Science Equipping the Next Generation”, www.engagingscience.eu), developed in the frame of Seventh Framework Programme. This paper presents the students’ opinion obtained at the end of the ENGAGE project in Romania, during the ENGAGE RRI Festival held in Targoviste, on March 3rd, 2017.

/pdf/bringing-rri-in-science-lessons-challenges-and-benefits-for-22m7nt6oi0.pdf

Bringing RRI in Science Lessons - Challenges and Benefits for Students in Learning Process

Nowadays, the presence of inquiry learning in the educational process is increasing constantly. Being a popular strategy more and more, it represents a learning process by posing questions mainly generated from learnerâ€™s experience, interest or curiosity. On the other hand, the teacher plays an active role, designing scenarios for students, with the view to raise their curiosity and perception related to the proposed subjects. More, introducing questions and involving experiences, the learning process become enjoyable for students. When teaching scientific subjects, inquiry-based science education ( IBSE ) comes as a proper strategy that can raise the studentsâ€™ interest for developing their scientific knowledge, but also for understanding the real world processes and phenomena. In this respect, the European FP7 project entitled â€œ PROFILES - Professional Reflection-Oriented Focus on Inquiry-based Learning and Education through Science â€ tries to promote the use of IBSE in teacher education and in classroom practice. This paper presents an educational demarche based on IBSE, in the Biology lessons oriented on Human Reproduction . After the implementation process, the studentsâ€™ feedback illustrated a positive perception, with real gains related to the concept understanding and relevance for the real life.

Laura Monica Gorghiu

Papers

WEB CONFERENCING - A Tool for Knowledge Transfer between Universities and Business Organizations

Teachers' and students' feedback concerning the use of ICT tools in learning science through nanotechnology

Thermo-luminescence of Rare Earths Activated Potassium Tetraborate

Bringing RRI in Science Lessons - Challenges and Benefits for Students in Learning Process

Promoting Inquiry Learning in Biology Lessons - A Strategy to Introduce Human Reproduction Issues