Ash produced from a hospital waste incinerator was treated using a high temperature melting process at 1200 degrees C. The quality of the produced slag was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), leaching tests and sequential chemical extraction of metals. The slag contained large amounts of SiO(2,) CaO, Al(2)O(3), Sn, Ni, Cu, Ba and B. XRD analysis revealed a moderate crystal structure for the melted slag and identified the main crystals as quartz (SiO(2)), kaolinite (Al(2)Si(2)O(5)(OH)(4)), albite (NaAlSi(3)O(8)) and gibbsite (Al(OH)(3)). The observed crystal structure assists in preventing the leaching of heavy metals from the slag. Furthermore, the leaching results found the produced slag to comply with disposal limits set by the US EPA. Results from sequential chemical extraction analysis showed that metals in the slag exhibited the strongest preference to be bound to the residual fraction (stable fraction), which is known to have very low leaching characteristics. Melting was found to stabilize heavy metals in hospital waste successfully and therefore it can be an acceptable method for disposal.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0304-3894(02)00010-9 | DOI Listing |
Cureus
November 2024
Department of Biochemistry, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, UGA.
Introduction Zinc deficiency (ZnD) impairs the development of acquired immunity and contributes to growth failure in children under five years of age. However, the prevalence of ZnD and its association with immunity in this age group in Uganda have not been well explored. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ZnD and explore the associations between low serum zinc levels and total white blood cell count, differential cell counts, and levels of IL-1 and IL-2 in children aged 12 to 59 months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOrthop Surg
December 2024
Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Ege University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Objective: Orthopedic implants may need to be removed for various reasons. There is little data on the appropriate handling of implants after their removal from patients. This study aimed to analyze how orthopedic surgeons handle removed implants and their underlying philosophies, using data collected from a survey.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Immunol
December 2024
Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Background: Lung adenocarcinoma patients are often found to have developed bone metastases at the time of initial diagnosis. With the continuous development of technology, we have successfully entered the era of immunotherapy. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of immunotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma patients with bone metastases (LABM) through a multicenter retrospective analysis and to develop a novel tool to identify the population that could benefit most from immunotherapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWorld J Gastrointest Endosc
December 2024
Endoscopy Center, Aishinkai Nakae Hospital, Wakayama-shi 6408461, Japan.
Climate change due to sustained carbon dioxide (CO) emissions poses a serious threat to human existence, such as extreme weather events that must be addressed in all sectors of society. Gastrointestinal endoscopy is a healthcare sector that produces high levels of CO emissions. Colonoscopy (CS) is the gold standard for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening that reduces the number of CRC-related deaths.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
November 2024
Orthopedic Surgery, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, JPN.
Background and objective Orthopedic surgery, particularly joint replacement, involves the use of many implants, resulting in a large amount of product packaging waste. To date, no study has surveyed artificial joint manufacturers on the recycling and reduction of packaging materials and their Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) initiatives. This questionnaire survey aimed to identify the current status of orthopedic artificial joint manufacturers in terms of implementing SDG initiatives.
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