Characterisation of plastic-based sanitary personal protective equipment following supercritical CO₂ sterilisation: A reuse strategy
The global demand for single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) is rapidly increasing. Most PPE items are composed of plastics, which often end up in landfills or oceans, causing significant environmental harm. Additionally, the disposal of PPE is costly, as it is classified as biological waste...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of CO2 Utilization |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212982025000137 |
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| author | Helga K. Ruiz José M. Gómez-Salazar Lourdes Calvo Albertina Cabañas |
| author_facet | Helga K. Ruiz José M. Gómez-Salazar Lourdes Calvo Albertina Cabañas |
| author_sort | Helga K. Ruiz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The global demand for single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) is rapidly increasing. Most PPE items are composed of plastics, which often end up in landfills or oceans, causing significant environmental harm. Additionally, the disposal of PPE is costly, as it is classified as biological waste. In this study, sanitary PPE components were sterilized using supercritical CO2 at 40°C and 10 MPa, with the addition of small amounts of additives (<0.1 %). Specifically, sterilisation was achieved using as additives mixtures of water, H2O2 and acetic anhydride, or peracetic acid. The materials were characterized before and after treatment using FTIR, DSC, and SEM-EDX to assess whether the sterilization process affected the physical and chemical properties of the PPE components. Results showed that masks, gowns, coveralls, caps, and shoe covers were largely unaffected by the treatment, while nitrile gloves and protective glasses exhibited alterations. No traces of the additives were detected in the treated materials, as they were carried away by the CO2 during depressurization. These findings demonstrate that supercritical CO2 sterilization is a viable method for reusing certain PPE components or recycling them as polymeric raw materials, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to incineration. The significant potential of this technology for hospital applications is evident. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a54dfa9c053e4bf9becbeef393579426 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2212-9839 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of CO2 Utilization |
| spelling | doaj-art-a54dfa9c053e4bf9becbeef3935794262025-02-05T04:31:58ZengElsevierJournal of CO2 Utilization2212-98392025-02-0192103029Characterisation of plastic-based sanitary personal protective equipment following supercritical CO₂ sterilisation: A reuse strategyHelga K. Ruiz0José M. Gómez-Salazar1Lourdes Calvo2Albertina Cabañas3Dept. Chem. Mat. Eng, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, SpainDept. Chem. Mat. Eng, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, SpainDept. Chem. Mat. Eng, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain; Corresponding authors.Dept. Phys. Chem., Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain; Corresponding authors.The global demand for single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) is rapidly increasing. Most PPE items are composed of plastics, which often end up in landfills or oceans, causing significant environmental harm. Additionally, the disposal of PPE is costly, as it is classified as biological waste. In this study, sanitary PPE components were sterilized using supercritical CO2 at 40°C and 10 MPa, with the addition of small amounts of additives (<0.1 %). Specifically, sterilisation was achieved using as additives mixtures of water, H2O2 and acetic anhydride, or peracetic acid. The materials were characterized before and after treatment using FTIR, DSC, and SEM-EDX to assess whether the sterilization process affected the physical and chemical properties of the PPE components. Results showed that masks, gowns, coveralls, caps, and shoe covers were largely unaffected by the treatment, while nitrile gloves and protective glasses exhibited alterations. No traces of the additives were detected in the treated materials, as they were carried away by the CO2 during depressurization. These findings demonstrate that supercritical CO2 sterilization is a viable method for reusing certain PPE components or recycling them as polymeric raw materials, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to incineration. The significant potential of this technology for hospital applications is evident.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212982025000137SterilisationSupercritical CO2Personal protective equipmentSARS-CoV-2 |
| spellingShingle | Helga K. Ruiz José M. Gómez-Salazar Lourdes Calvo Albertina Cabañas Characterisation of plastic-based sanitary personal protective equipment following supercritical CO₂ sterilisation: A reuse strategy Journal of CO2 Utilization Sterilisation Supercritical CO2 Personal protective equipment SARS-CoV-2 |
| title | Characterisation of plastic-based sanitary personal protective equipment following supercritical CO₂ sterilisation: A reuse strategy |
| title_full | Characterisation of plastic-based sanitary personal protective equipment following supercritical CO₂ sterilisation: A reuse strategy |
| title_fullStr | Characterisation of plastic-based sanitary personal protective equipment following supercritical CO₂ sterilisation: A reuse strategy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterisation of plastic-based sanitary personal protective equipment following supercritical CO₂ sterilisation: A reuse strategy |
| title_short | Characterisation of plastic-based sanitary personal protective equipment following supercritical CO₂ sterilisation: A reuse strategy |
| title_sort | characterisation of plastic based sanitary personal protective equipment following supercritical co₂ sterilisation a reuse strategy |
| topic | Sterilisation Supercritical CO2 Personal protective equipment SARS-CoV-2 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212982025000137 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT helgakruiz characterisationofplasticbasedsanitarypersonalprotectiveequipmentfollowingsupercriticalco2sterilisationareusestrategy AT josemgomezsalazar characterisationofplasticbasedsanitarypersonalprotectiveequipmentfollowingsupercriticalco2sterilisationareusestrategy AT lourdescalvo characterisationofplasticbasedsanitarypersonalprotectiveequipmentfollowingsupercriticalco2sterilisationareusestrategy AT albertinacabanas characterisationofplasticbasedsanitarypersonalprotectiveequipmentfollowingsupercriticalco2sterilisationareusestrategy |