Concrete Solution To Air Pollution?

Concrete is the most widely used material in the world, and while its production causes air pollution, it can also help solve the problem of air pollution. Research by Stony Brook University reveals that concrete surfaces can remove sulfur dioxide, a major air pollutant, from the air. This discovery could pave the way for using waste concrete to mitigate air pollution. Dr. Alex Orlov, a researcher at Stony Brook University, explained that concrete buildings in urban areas can act as sponges, absorbing sulfur dioxide. He suggested that waste concrete from demolitions could be employed to adsorb pollutants, presenting a new approach to urban design and waste management.

Concrete construction waste can help eliminate sulfur dioxide from the air

Concrete is the most widely used building material in the world, and its production is a major contributor to air pollution. However, new research from Stony Brook University reveals that concrete construction waste can help eliminate sulfur dioxide, a major air pollutant, from the air.

Sulfur dioxide is one of the most common air pollutants, with power plants being the largest emitters. Cement kilns also produce a significant portion of industrial sulfur dioxide emissions. Sulfur dioxide is a major contributor to poor air quality, which the World Health Organization links to as many as seven million premature deaths worldwide.

Stony Brook University researcher Alex Orlov, PhD, and colleagues discovered how concrete interacts with and eliminates sulfur and nitrogen oxides. Their findings, published in the Journal of Chemical Engineering, indicate that concrete surfaces can absorb sulfur dioxide from the air, acting like a "sponge." This discovery could be a significant step toward minimizing air pollution, particularly in urban areas where concrete buildings are prevalent.

Dr. Orlov suggests that waste concrete from building demolitions can be utilized to absorb pollutants. Concrete's ability to adsorb pollutants decreases as it ages, but this function can be restored by crushing the concrete to expose new surfaces. This strategy of repurposing waste concrete could lead to innovative approaches in urban design and waste management, providing an environmental solution to the problem of air pollution.

Concrete buildings in urban areas can serve as a sponge to absorb sulfur dioxide

Concrete is the most widely used material in the world and is inexpensive. However, the production of concrete causes air pollution. Cement kilns, for example, produce approximately 20% of all sulfur dioxide industrial emissions.

Despite this, concrete buildings in urban areas can serve as a kind of sponge to absorb sulfur dioxide from the air. This is according to research conducted by Stony Brook University researcher Alex Orlov, PhD, and colleagues. Their findings, published in the July edition of the Journal of Chemical Engineering, revealed how concrete interacts with and eliminates sulfur and nitrogen oxides.

Orlov explains that:

> "Our findings open up the possibility that waste concrete coming from building demolitions can be used to adsorb these pollutants. [The] strategy of using pollution-causing material and turning it into an environmental solution could lead to new thinking in urban design and waste management."

Orlov also cautions that the capacity for concrete to absorb pollutants diminishes over time as the material ages. However, crushing concrete can expose new surfaces and restore its pollution-removing properties.

Crushing concrete can restore its capacity to remove pollutants

Concrete is the most widely used material in the world and is inexpensive. Despite its ubiquity, the production of concrete causes air pollution. However, new research reveals that concrete surfaces can remove sulfur dioxide from the air, a major contributor to air pollution. This discovery could be a significant step toward the practice of using waste concrete to minimize air pollution.

Stony Brook University researcher Alex Orlov, PhD, and colleagues discovered how concrete interacts with and eliminates sulfur and nitrogen oxides. Their findings, published in the July edition of the Journal of Chemical Engineering, suggest that concrete buildings in urban areas can serve as a kind of sponge, adsorbing sulfur dioxide to a high level.

Dr. Orlov emphasized that "the strategy of using pollution-causing material and turning it into an environmental solution could lead to new thinking in urban design and waste management." However, he cautioned that the capacity for concrete to adsorb pollutants diminishes over time as the material ages.

Nevertheless, crushing concrete can expose new surfaces and restore its capacity to remove pollutants. This process can be facilitated by employing Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and X-ray absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) to identify the levels of sulfur dioxide adsorption on the material. By conducting these experiments, researchers can optimize the use of waste concrete to mitigate air pollution.

Calcium carbonate concrete can be made from waste concrete and carbon dioxide

Concrete is the most widely used material in the world and is inexpensive. However, the production of concrete causes air pollution. Researchers at Stony Brook University have discovered that concrete surfaces can remove sulfur dioxide, a major contributor to air pollution, from the air. This opens up the possibility of using waste concrete to minimize air pollution.

Calcium carbonate concrete is a new type of concrete that can be made from waste concrete and carbon dioxide. This process is inspired by how some aquatic organisms harden into fossils over time. Calcium is essential for the reaction between cement and water to form concrete, and this process investigates a less carbon-intensive way of performing the same function. The process involves combining waste concrete with carbon dioxide from industrial exhaust or the air at much lower temperatures than those used to extract calcium from limestone.

Calcium carbonate is a very stable and durable material, and the ability to recycle large quantities of waste concrete is a significant advantage. However, calcium carbonate concrete is not as strong as typical concrete, and only small blocks have been made so far. Researchers hope that in the future, carbon-neutral calcium carbonate concrete will become the mainstream type of concrete and will be one of the solutions to climate change.

The process of producing calcium carbonate concrete also helps mitigate CO2 emissions. The developed process was able to produce CaCO3 with a purity of 99.0%, mitigating CO2 by 0.465 kg per process cycle, taking into account energy usage. This contributes to global efforts to reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations and achieve emission reduction targets.

Concrete is inexpensive and widely used, making it a viable solution

Concrete is the most widely used material in the world and is inexpensive. This makes it a viable solution to help solve the problem of air pollution.

Dr. Alex Orlov, a researcher at Stony Brook University, discovered that concrete interacts with and eliminates sulfur and nitrogen oxides, which are major contributors to air pollution. Concrete buildings in urban areas can serve as a sponge, absorbing sulfur dioxide to a high level. This discovery could lead to new thinking in urban design and waste management, as waste concrete from building demolitions can be used to absorb these pollutants.

Dr. Orlov emphasized that the strategy of using a pollution-causing material and turning it into an environmental solution is a compelling idea. Concrete's widespread use and low cost make it a practical option for reducing air pollution. By utilizing waste concrete, we can not only minimize the environmental impact of concrete production but also harness its ability to act as a pollution-removing sponge.

However, it is important to note that concrete's capacity to adsorb pollutants diminishes over time as the material ages. This limitation can be addressed by crushing the concrete to expose new surfaces and restore its pollution-removing properties. This process ensures the continued effectiveness of concrete as a pollution-fighting solution.

Overall, concrete's inexpensiveness and widespread use present a unique opportunity to address the pressing issue of air pollution. By embracing innovative thinking and leveraging the unique characteristics of this familiar material, we can take a significant step towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future for our urban environments.

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