Andrés Fullana

• PhD
• Professor (Associate) at University of Alicante

This study evaluates the use of carbon-encapsulated zero-valent iron nanoparticles for biogas upgrading in wet systems. The nanoparticles were produced by hydrothermal carbonization, using olive mill waste (OMW) or microalgae as carbon sources. The solids were characterized to investigate the specific surface area, total and zero-valent iron conten...

In this study, the impact of bioplastic design on anaerobic digestion for biogas production was investigated. This research aims to facilitate the integration of bioplastics into a circular economy, which is why our study proposes considering not only aspects related to their degradation in the formulation but also ensuring efficient behavior in an...

This research delves into a detailed exploration of the thermal decomposition behavior of bio-based polymers, specifically thermoplastic starch (TPS) and polylactic acid (PLA), under varying heating rates in a nitrogen atmosphere. This study employs thermogravimetry (TG) to investigate, providing comprehensive insights into the thermal stability of...

This research delves into a detailed exploration of the thermal decomposition behavior of bio-based polymers, specifically Thermoplastic Starch (TPS) and Poly(lactic acid) (PLA). The study focuses on the impact of three different heating rates under a nitrogen atmosphere, providing comprehensive insights into the thermal stability of these eco-frie...

This mini-review is intended to explore the innovative applications of nanoparticles (NPs) in biogas upgrading, emphasizing their capacity to enhance biogas quality. Numerous studies underscore how NPs, when applied during anaerobic digestion, can boost not only the quantity but also the quality of the produced biogas, leading to reduce significant...

The drying of flexible plastic waste is a current industrial problem in the plastic recycling sector. The thermal drying of plastic flakes is considered the most expensive and the most energy-consuming step in the recycling chain, which represents an environmental issue. This process is already present on the industrial scale but not well described...

Due to the climate change recognized in recent years, the danger on the coasts, at a global scale, has increased critically. This issue is associated with the increase in the global average temperature, which has the effect of raising the average sea level and the increase in intensity and frequency of Extreme Meteorological Events (EME). Currently...

Multilayer flexible packaging waste is a critical issue in the field of waste management as it is considered a non-recyclable material. One of the solutions to increase its recyclability is the delamination, which allows the recycling of the different polymer layers separately. This study investigated the optimization of the delamination by micrope...

In the present study, the photocatalytic activity of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) using sunlight was analyzed. The CNPs were synthesized by solvent-assisted hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques: TEM and SEM microscopy, UV-Vis, FTIR, Fluorescence, and XPS...

In the present work, recycled polyethylene (LDPE) samples of agricultural, post-commercial, post-industrial and post-consumer origin were selected and analysed. The analysis comprised the determination of different contaminants such as metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxin-like biphenyl polychlorides (PCBs), and polychlorinated-di...

The present study aims to determine the presence of synthetic polymeric microparticles (MPs) in samples of canned tuna. An analysis procedure of these microparticles was developed and tested. Four brands of tuna marketed in Ecuador canned both in water and oil were analysed. A significant presence of MPs was found: 692 ± 120 MPs/100g of tuna in wat...

In this work, the role of phenolic compounds in the hydrothermal synthesis of carbon encapsulated iron nanoparticles (CEINs) was studied. To model phenolic compounds, Gallic Acid (GA) was selected, with glucose as a carbon source. The iron was found as α-Fe2O3, γ-Fe2O3, Fe3O4, and zero-valent iron (ZVI) depending on the synthesis pH and GA/Fe molar...

The plastic recycling sector in its transition to the Circular Economy model is facing numerous challenges such as multilayer films recovering, flexible plastics, low-quality recyclates, consumers safety, and bioplastics, among others. The demand for high quality recycled products is expected to increase due to social pressure and new legislation,...

Adsorption represents the most plausible technology for micropollutants removal from water nowadays. Nevertheless, the regeneration of the saturated carbon materials is still an important challenge, being these solids in practice commonly disposed. This work aims at overcoming this issue by using innovative carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles (C...

While the annual European demand for polyolefins is 25 million tonnes, only 3 million tonnes of recycled polyolefins find their place in the market, despite collecting 15 million tonnes of post-consumer polyolefins every year. Brand owners of care products are showing their interest in using post-consumer recycled plastics for their packaging. Howe...

Hydrochars produced from agro-industrial wastes contain significant amounts of alkali metals and other inorganic elements that lead to different ash-related issues in energy systems. This work aims to modify the composition of hydrochar ash by adding rice hulls and/or mineral additives (i.e., lime, bentonite and kaolin) to improve their fusion beha...

According to the latest research, marine products have the greatest potential for microplastic (MPs) contamination. Therefore, their presence in terrestrial food has not managed to attract much attention—despite the fact that in the future they may represent a serious environmental risk. Research conducted in Europe and the US has indicated the pre...

In this study, carbon nanoparticles (CNP) have been synthetized by the method of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), which entails low cost, minimum equipment requirement, and less synthesis time. In order to improve the characteristics and the mass yield of CNP, a variation in the HTC process has been developed; which consists in introducing a blend...

Patulin (PAT), a mycotoxin found mainly in matured apples, is produced by different species of fungi, mainly Penicillium expansum, and is found in various fruits and vegetables used to produce juice. Little focus has been placed on nano-technological methods for the mitigation of this problem. In this work, carbon-encapsulated nano-zero valent iron...

In this work, the environmental impacts caused by an innovative upcycling process of printed plastic scrap have been assessed through Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) methodology for the first time. The process consists of removing the inks from the plastic surface before extrusion, so that clear high quality pellets are obtained, suitable to be used in h...

Plastic demand is continuously growing and, with it, the amount of plastic waste. The packaging industry is by far the largest source of single-use plastic products that, after use, end up in landfills and oceans. Mechanical recycling is the solution most widely implemented in the global industry and its effectiveness and reliability have been demo...

The demand for high quality recycled polymers in the European plastic industry is on the increase, likely due to the EU's Plastic Strategy intended to implement the circular economy model in this sector. The problem is that there is not enough recycled plastic in the market. In terms of volume, post-consumer plastic waste could be key to meet the c...

The establishment of recycling systems aiming at high-quality recyclates from post-consumer plastic waste are essential to avoid the waste of resources. One main impediment for introducing recyclates into the market is their unwanted odor. For this reason, this study aimed at determining if the collection strategy affects the odor profile of post-c...

Once removed from the sea, some plastics cannot be recycled or reused. This debris has high calorific value which makes it suitable to use as fuel. For this reason, a mixture of plastic materials was subjected to hydrothermal carbonization using seawater as solvent. We could thus examine the characteristics of the final products obtained and test t...

Link: http://innoua.ua.es/Web/FichaOferta?pIdOferta=2775&language=en Method description: This procedure comprises the following stages: (i) separation and conditioning of plastic; (ii) shredding of plastic; (iii) chemical washing with surfactant; (iv) rinsing of plastic material; (v) mechanical drying; and, (vi) deodorization of plastic. This last...

The weaknesses of existing plastic waste management strategies lead to the pollution of the natural environment. Although around 75% of plastic litter come from developing countries, an important 25% is originated in western countries mainly due to the limited efficiency of the collection systems and low recycling rates. Global plastic production h...

Waste diapers compose 1.7% of solid urban waste. However, there is no specific treatment currently, since as the aim part of used diapers often ends up in a landfill. Since water represents more than 80% of the total weight of this waste, the main objective of this study is use hydrothermal carbonization to remove water from disposable diapers and...

Dewatering of plastic films is a highly energy-consuming recycling operation that largely affects the quality of the recycled product. Despite the importance of good drying, this operation has not been studied at laboratory or pilot plant scale. In this work, the mechanical dewatering of blown film grade high density polyethylene has been assessed...

Plastics are the most abundant products in the world and therefore also represent the largest volume of materials found in the sea. Their resistance to degradation makes them dangerous for the marine environment. In this study, the degradation of the four main plastics (Nylon, Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET))...

Thermal decomposition of different samples containing a mixture of plastics (polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and nylon) combined with NaCl and metal oxides (Fe2O3, CuO) was studied under an air atmosphere at 850 °C using a reactor, followed by analysis of the evolved products. Combustion runs were performed...

Nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) has proven to be a promising solution for contaminant remediation, but its application is limited due to its high cost of synthesis and instability. Encapsulating the nZVI in carbon spheres generates more stable particles with improved properties due to the adsorption capacity provided by the carbon. The aim of thi...

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Plastic flexible films are increasingly used in many applications due to their lightness and versatility. In 2014, the amount of plastic films represented 34% of total plastic packaging produced in UK. The flexible film waste generation rises according to the increase in number of applications. Currently, in developed countries, about 50% of plasti...

Nowadays, most of the foodstuff packaging ends in the litter after one single use. This type of litter is currently representing 50 % of the worldwide plastic debris in the marine ecosystem. Although waste management is progressing and the plastics recycling sector is growing, still there is room to improve to protect the environment from plastic l...

Marine debris is widely recognized as a global environmental problem. One of its main components, microplastics, has been found in several sea salt samples from different countries, indicating that sea products are irremediably contaminated by microplastics. Previous studies show very confusing results, reporting amounts of microparticles (MPs) in...

Nanoparticles of zero-valent iron (nZVI) represent a promising agent for environmental remediation. This is due to their core-shell structure which presents the characteristics of both metallic and oxidised iron, leading to sorption and reductive precipitation of metal ions. Nevertheless, nZVI application presents some limitations regarding their r...

Studies show that nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles enhance the formation of chlorinated compounds such as polychlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) during thermal processes. However, it is unclear whether nZVI acts as a catalyst for the formation of these compounds or contains impurities, such as PCDD/Fs, within its structure. We anal...

Marine debris (MDs) produces a wide variety of negative environmental, economic, safety, health and cultural impacts. Most marine litter has a very low decomposition rate (plastics), leading to a gradual accumulation in the coastal and marine environment. Characterization of the MDs has been done in terms of their pollutant content: PAHs, ClBzs, Cl...

Significant efforts have been direct towards developing environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial treatment of olive mill wastes. Recently, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has been shown to be a potentially beneficial approach for the treatment of olive mill wastes. When considering the use of HTC to treat these wastes, however, it i...

Marine debris produces a wide variety of negative environmental, economic, safety, health and cultural impacts. Most marine litter has a very low decomposition rate (as plastics, which are the most abundant type of marine debris), leading to a gradual, but significant accumulation in the coastal and marine environment. Along that time, marine debri...

Differences in ash behavior during hydrothermal treatment were identified based on multivariate data analysis of literature information on 29 different feedstock. In addition, the solubility of individual elements was evaluated based on a smaller data set. As a result two different groups were distinguished based on char ash content and ash yield....

The effects of hydrothermal treatment on the drying properties of sludge were determined. Sludge was hydrothermally treated at 180–260 °C for 0.5–5 h using NaOH and HCl as additives to influence reaction conditions. Untreated sludge and attained hydrochar samples were then dried under identical conditions with a laboratory microdryer and an X-ray m...

Mixed sludge from a pulp and paper mill was hydrothermally carbonized at 180-260 °C for 0.5-5 h with the use of HCl or NaOH for determining the effect of acid and base additions during sludge carbonization. Based on the results carbonization was mainly governed by dehydration, depolymerization and decarboxylation of sludge components. Additive type...

This work assessed the energy potential and alternative usages of biogas and sludge generated in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors at the Laboreaux sewage treatment plant (STP), Brazil. Two scenarios were considered: (i) priority use of biogas for the thermal drying of dehydrated sludge and the use of the excess biogas for electricity genera...

Although hydrothermal carbonization of biomass components is known to be mainly governed by reaction temperature, consistent reports on the effect and statistical significance of process conditions on hydrochar properties are still lacking. The objective of this research was to determine the importance and significance of reaction temperature, rete...

Zero valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) represent a promising agent for environmental remediation. Nevertheless, their application presents some limitations regarding their rapid oxidation and aggregation in the media. The aim of this study was to determine the effect that nZVI aging has in heavy metal remediation in water. Contaminants studied were...

Two-phase olive mill waste (TPOMW) was converted via torrefaction into a carbon rich solid interesting as bioenergy feedstock. TPOMW was characterized and torrefied in an oven at temperatures ranging from 150 to 300 °C for 2 h. Mass and energy losses occurred during torrefaction were measured and the torrefied products were characterized including...

This work focuses in the application of the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) technology as a possible moist agro-industrial waste management treatment. Through this technique, olive mill, canned artichoke and orange wastes (OMW, CAW and OJW, respectively) were carbonized in a lab-scale high pressure reactor at different temperatures (200–250 °C) an...

In this work, zero-valent iron nanoparticles (50–200 nm) were synthesized for the complete reduction of dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) to give methane and iron sulfide. Iron quantity and pH were varied to study their influence on the reaction. A 60% reduction in DMDS was achieved, but it was observed that the desired reaction to give methane only occurr...

A fire originated and burnt two cold chambers; the present study focused on almonds stored in adjacent chambers (4, 5, 6 and 13) and evaluated both their food safety and quality. Testing for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans was carried out in affected facilities, packaging and almonds. Experiment...

present work evaluated the production of liquid fuels by slow pyrolysis of sludges from sewage treatment plants. The pyrolysis process was carried out at 550 ºC in a batch reactor at pilot plant scale. in these conditions the pyrolysis liquid yields varied between 10 and 30% by weight. The heating value of liquid oils ranged between 28 and 32 MJ/kg...

The present work evaluated the production of liquid fuels by slow pyrolysis of sludges from sewage treatment plants. The pyrolysis process was carried out at 550 C in a batch reactor at pilot plant scale. In these conditions the pyrolysis liquid yields varied between 10 and 30% by weight. The heating value of liquid oils ranged between 28 and 32 MJ...

The thermal drying of sewage sludge was studied in the 30–65 °C temperature range with two types of sewage sludge, showing different behaviour in the formation of a skin during the drying process. Twenty-one runs were carried out at different temperatures and air flows in an apparatus that provided a continuous flow of air. Small sewage sludge sphe...

The unreacted-core shrinking (UCS) model is employed to characterize fluid−particle reactions that are important in industry and research. An approach to understand the UCS model by numerical methods is presented, which helps the visualization of the influence of the variables that control the overall heterogeneous process. Use of this approach in...

Emissions of volatile organic compounds, including aldehydes, formed during heating of cooking oils: coconut, safflower, canola, and extra virgin olive oils were studied at different temperatures: 180, 210, 240, and 240°C after 6h. Fumes were collected in Tedlar® bags and later analysed by GC–MS. The emissions of volatiles were constant with time a...

The influence of iron nanoparticles in the fuel-rich combustion of PVC has been studied in this work. Dynamic runs for PVC and the mixture PVC and iron nanoparticles were firstly carried out by TGA-MS in order to study the influence of iron on the compounds evolved in the thermal degradation of PVC. To complete the study both PVC and a mixture of P...

A comparison between different emission rates of various pollutants obtained from various wastes is presented. The studied wastes were the following: polyethylene (PE), tyres, sewage sludges, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cotton textiles, polyester textiles, meat and bone meals (MBMs), varnish wastes, olive oil solid waste (pomace), waste lube oils and...

Paper recycling is an environmental important activity that is carried out in all the countries, but during the recycling process a paper waste is produced. Generally these wastes are placed in landfill sites but it is possible to profit it as secondary fuel and raw material in manufacture furnaces. In this work the combustion of the waste papers w...

Sewage sludge from a domestic water treatment plant was heated in an air atmosphere at different temperatures (105-500 ºC) for 1 hour in order to study the degradation of some organic pollutants. The compounds studied were: linear alkylbenzene sulphonates (LAS) with an alkylic chain of 10-13 atoms of carbon, and nonylphenolic compounds, including n...

Thermal drying of sewage sludge is a treatment to obtain a material that can be used as co-fuel for some chemical industries, but some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be emitted and consequently must be considered. In this work the emissions of these VOCs were studied. The sewage sludge produced by a domestic water treatment plant was dried i...

Thermal degradation experiments have been performed by thermogravimetry in order to study the kinetics of the decomposition of polychloroprene at different heating rates (5, 10 and 20 °C/min) and different atmospheres (N2, N2:O2 9:1 and N2:O2 4:1). Some of the experiments were partially conducted in isothermal conditions in order to cover a wider r...

Seventeen sewage sludges were studied to analyse, with the minimum number of steps, the organic pollutants that the European Union proposes to be controlled for land application. The compounds determined were a selection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); a selection of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP); no...

In this study, iron nano-particles were used to remediate PCB contaminated soil and an attempt was made to maximize PCB destruction in each treatment step. The results show that nano-particles do aid in the dechlorination process and high PCB destruction efficiencies can be achieved. The destruction efficiency during the preliminary treatment (mixi...

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The pyrolysis and combustion of 17 sewage sludges were studied by thermogravimetry. The dynamic experiments were carried out at 10 {\textdegreeC min-1, and three different behaviours were observed at the decomposition curves. One of them shows combustion and pyrolysis curves that are parallel until high temperatures, and so the combustion process c...

Pyrolysis and combustion of two types of sewage sludge have been studied. The two sludges considered, considering their thermal decomposition, have different behaviors when comparing pyrolysis and combustion TG runs of each sludge. In one case, the combustion can be considered as an oxidative pyrolysis, where the decomposition process is accelerate...

In this work, the multidimensional gas chromatography (MDGC) technique was used to analyze pyrolytic products generated from primary and secondary pyrolysis of cellulose, lignin and sewage sludge samples. These three materials were selected because pyrolysis of these three materials produces compounds with very different polarity, thus making them...

The main objective of this work is to investigate how different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) will react over a catalyst under post-combustion zone conditions. It is important to know if PAHs polymerize/condense on the catalyst surface to form carbonaceous material (coke) or if they partially oxidize to form dibenzofuran or similar struct...

Safe animal by-product disposal is a priority target as a result of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy crisis in the European beef industry. One such disposal option is the incineration of by-product material such as meat and bone meal residues (MBM) for the purpose of energy recovery. Although currently applied, the thermal decomposition of MBM...

The evolution of semivolatile and volatile compounds in the combustion of polyethylene (PE) was studied at different operating conditions in a horizontal quartz reactor. Four combustion runs at 500 and 850 degrees C with two different sample mass/air flow ratios and two pyrolytic runs at the same temperatures were carried out. Thermal behavior of d...

Emissions of low molecular weight aldehydes (LMWAs) from deep-frying of extra virgin olive oil, olive oil, and canola oil (control) were investigated at two temperatures, 180 and 240 degrees C, for 15 and 7 h, respectively. The oil fumes were collected in Tedlar bags and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Seven alkanals (C2-C7 a...

Low molecular weight aldehydes (LMWAs) formed during the heating of frying media (triglycerides) were adsorbed onto tenax and analyzed by GC-MS after thermal desorption. Six alkanals (C5 to C10), seven 2-alkenals (C5 to C11) and 3 alkadienals (C7, C9 and C10) were found in the fumes of canola oil (control), extra virgin olive oil, and refined olive...

The limitations facing land filling and recycling and the planned ban on sea disposal of sludge leads to the expectation that the role of sludge incineration will increase in the future. The expected increase in sludge incineration will also increase scrutiny of the main drawbackto sewage sludge incineration--the formation of hazardous air pollutan...

A series of runs has been performed to study the thermal behavior of meat and bone meal (MBM) both in inert and reactive atmosphere. Although they are actually burned, the thermal decomposition of such MBM wastes has not been studied from a scientific point of view until now. The aim of this work is to present and discuss the thermogravimetric beha...

Pyrolysis at high temperature (850??C) of different sewage sludge has been studied in a horizontal laboratory reactor. Volatile and semivolatile organic compounds from pyrolysis of seven different samples have been identified and quantified. Results show that yields of several compounds are similar to those obtained from other wastes in similar con...

The present work studies first the kinetics of the global primary thermal decomposition of raw waste lubricant oils in helium atmosphere conditions and with different proportions of helium:oxygen by TGA. In addition, pyrolysis and partial oxidation runs were carried out in a tubular reactor at 723 and 1123 K, where the volatiles and semivolatiles e...

The evolution of semivolatile compounds and toxic by-products in the pyrolysis of polyethylene has been studied from 600 to 900°C. It has been tested that α,ω-olefin, α-olefin and n-paraffins are formed from the primary decomposition. At high temperatures, above 700–800°C, poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed. The compounds (PAHs) are wides...

A numerical method for calculating the kinetic constants of the thermal decomposition of heterogeneous solids is proposed, considering the interdependence between the pre-exponential factor and the reaction order. This method is applied to the pyrolysis of poly-(ethylene terephtalate) with satisfactory results. The kinetic constants calculated with...

Soot and fly ash carbon oxidation experiments were carried out under post-combustion cool zone conditions to better understand the relationship between soot and pollutant emissions. All soot (carbon) oxidation products were collected and divided into four groups: fixed gases (CO, CO2), aliphatics, aromatics, and polyaromatics. Soot was a significan...

On the basis of laboratory experiments with model mixtures, the steps in the de novo synthesis of halogenated compounds were studied. The study was performed using a thermobalance to evaluate the temperature of the maximum rate and the kinetics of the decomposition of the materials in the presence of air. The effect of the presence of CuCl2 and CuO...

The reactivity in air of several carbonaceous materials has been investigated in a thermobalance. The materials studied comprise an activated carbon and different chars formed by pyrolysis of tires, almond shells and sewage sludges. The addition of CuCl2 · 2H2O to some of these sample chars increases the rate of decomposition or reaction with the o...