Thermal characteristics and combustion reactivity of coronavirus face masks using TG-DTG-MS analysis.

The presented paper deals with the influence of the heating rate on combustion characteristics (reactivity and reactivity evaluation, ignition index ( ), burnout index ( ), the combustion performance index (), and the combustion stability index ( )) of the protective coronavirus face masks. Two types of commonly used face masks in different state (new and exploited) were investigated by TG-DTG analysis in an air atmosphere, directly coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). Based on the experimental results, the impact of ultimate and proximate analysis data on the evolved gas analysis (EGA) was discussed.

Comparative pyrolysis kinetics of various biomasses based on model-free and DAEM approaches improved with numerical optimization procedure.

The pyrolysis process of various types of biomass (agricultural and wood by-products) in non-isothermal conditions using simultaneous thermal analyses (STA) was investigated. Devolatilization kinetics was implemented through combined application of model-free methods and DAEM (distributed activation energy model) using Gaussian distribution functions of activation energies. Results obtained were used in the curve prediction of the rate of mass loss against temperature at various heating rates by numerical optimization.

Phytoremediation potential of wild plants growing on soil contaminated with heavy metals.

Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that employs higher plants to cleanup contaminated environments, including metal-polluted soils. Because it produces a biomass rich in extracted toxic metals, further treatment of this biomass is necessary. The aim of our study was to assess the five-year potential of the following native wild plants to produce biomass and remove heavy metals from a polluted site: poplar (Populus ssp.

Ash from thermal power plants as secondary raw material.

The basic characteristic of thermal power plants in the Republic of Serbia is that they use low-grade brown coal (lignite) as a fuel. Depending on the location of coal mines, lignite may have different properties such as heating value, moisture, and mineral content, resulting in different residue upon combustion. Because of several million tonnes of ash and slag generated every year, their granularmetric particle size distribution, and transport and disposal methods, these plants have a negative impact on the environment.