Recycling Fiberglass Methods: An Overlooked Approach; Understanding Tactile Perception; Intrusive Honeybee Colonies; and Absorbing Gold with Whey Protein
Article:
Recycling Fiberglass Waste Efficiently: A Breakthrough Proposed
A new recycling method, developed by researchers led by James Tour of Rice University in the United States, offers a solution to the issue of disposing glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) waste, which is often buried in landfills due to its resistance to conventional recycling methods.
"The burial of GFRP wing structures from airplanes or wind turbine blades in landfills is an unsustainable practice," says Tour. "Until now, there has been no effective way to recycle this durable composite material."
The innovative recycling process involves breaking down GFRP into silicon carbide, a widely used substance in semiconductors, sandpaper, and other products. To accomplish this, the research team grinds GFRP into a plastic-carbon mixture, adds a small amount of carbon, and exposes it to high voltage to raise the temperature between 1,600°C and 2,900°C. This transformation facilitates the conversion of the plastic and carbon into silicon carbide.
This recycling method addresses a significant challenge in managing the large volumes of GFRP waste generated from decommissioned turbine blades and other sources, as this composite material has previously been difficult to recycle due to its heat resistance and inability to melt like conventional plastics.
Understanding Touch Perception:
Scientists from the Max Delbrück Centre in Germany have identified a new ion channel, Elkin1, that plays a key role in the perception of touch. This ion channel, in combination with the already known Piezo2, is believed to convert mechanical stimuli into electrical signals, contributing to the understanding of touch sensation in humans.
The team's findings, published in the journal Science, suggest that Elkin1 is directly involved in converting light touch into an electrical signal. Mice genetically modified to lack the Elkin1 gene displayed reduced touch sensitivity in behavioral experiments, corroborating the role of Elkin1 in touch perception.
Moreover, researchers found evidence that Elkin1 may also participate in the transmission of painful mechanical stimuli. If confirmed, this discovery could lead to new potential targets for treating chronic pain.
Gold Recovery from Electronic Waste:
Researchers have developed a sustainable method to recover gold from electronic waste using a byproduct of the cheesemaking process. By denaturing whey proteins and aggregating them into strong fibers, the team created a protein fiber sponge that efficiently adsorbs gold ions.
After heating the sponge, the gold ions get reduced into gold flakes, which can be melted down into nuggets suitable for further use. This novel approach to gold recovery from e-waste offers an environmentally friendly alternative to the energy-intensive and toxic chemical methods currently in use.
The researchers detailed their work in a paper published in the journal Advanced Materials.
Invasive Bee Colony Adaptation:
Research published in Current Biology reveals that invasive Asian honeybees (Apis cerana) have successfully established a population in North Queensland, Australia, defying all evolutionary expectations. Unlike native populations, this invasive swarm overcame a genetic bottleneck, evolving from a single swarm into a thriving colony of more than 10,000 colonies.
"This study shows that invasive species can quickly adapt to new environments despite starting with very low genetic diversity," says co-lead author Dr. Rosalyn Gloag from the University of Sydney School of Life and Environmental Sciences.
While the rapid adaptation of invasive honeybees might pose a threat to environments struggling with new invasive species, it could potentially offer hope for populations experiencing crises due to climate change or other natural or human-induced disasters.
- In environmental-science, the development of a new recycling method for glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) waste could revolutionize environmental-science practices related to health-and-wellness, as reducing waste disposal can have significant positive effects on the environment.
- The discovery of a new ion channel, Elkin1, in the field of science, particularly in health-and-wellness and technology, could have major implications for financial investments in healthcare technology, since breakthroughs in understanding touch perception can contribute to advancements in technology and innovation.
