Volume 19 Issue 3

This study was aimed to determine the possibility of reusing sewage sludge in the cultivation of Taurus snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii Hook. f.). Taurus snowdrop bulbs with a circumference of 4 cm were used as plant material in the experiment. Bulbs were planted in five different growing media, 100% soil, 25% sewage sludge+75% soil, 50% sewage sludge+50% soil, 75% sewage sludge+25% soil, and 100% sewage sludge. The bulb diameter ranged between 16.8 and 18.5 mm, and bulb weight varied between 2.74 g and 6.33 g. The greatest bulblet weight (2.17 g) and leaf thickness (0.90 mm) obtained was in 75% sewage sludge+25% soil mixture. The number of bulblets ranged from 1.0 to 1.33 piece/bulb. Leaf length was between 7.30 and 9.25 cm, and leaf width was 9.7 to 11.6 mm. The effects of growing media on pedicle length, pedicle diameter, and fruit diameter were not found to be significant. Pedicle lengths were between 4.39 and 6.38 cm, pedicle diameters ranged from 1.59 to 1.80 mm, and fruit diameters were between 4.40 and 7.40 mm. It was concluded based on the present findings that 75% sewage sludge+25% soil mixture could reliably be used as a growing media for Taurus snowdrop culture.

Paper production is a process based on using water. Most of the industrialized countries set strict standards to protect the environment, and all industrial wastewater output must be based on such standards. Because of their economic value, recycled fibers must be separated from the effluent and returned to the system when the effluent leaves the factory. The purpose of this study was to investigate and measure the amount and costs of water consumption and the amount of fiber wastage in the controlled and uncontrolled output of the desired factory effluent. From observations of a local OCC recycling factory, the amount of water consumption and effluent output and the amount of fibers in the effluent output of this factory before pre-treatment and after pre-treatment were investigated. It was observed that if the water intake was not controlled and if pre-treatment was not used, a significant amount of fibers was thrown away along with the wastewater, which was 8,440 kg per 391 tons of production in one month based on total suspended solid.

Facility location selection and internal layout planning are critical strategic decisions for long-term sustainability. This study identified the most feasible location and optimal layout for a commercial bedroom furniture manufacturing facility through a seven-phase evaluation of Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Bursa. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and PROMETHEE were used for city and district selection, with AHP calculating criteria weights and PROMETHEE ranking alternatives. The Borda Count Method aggregated MCDM results, selecting Istanbul as the optimal city and Dudullu Organized Industrial Zone (O.I.Z.) as the most favorable district. The CORELAP method developed an optimal single-story layout for a 2688 m² production and assembly facility, enhancing production flow, reducing material handling costs, and improving efficiency. These findings underscore the importance of strategic facility location and layout planning in improving the furniture industry’s competitiveness and sustainability. The practical implications of this research are significant, as the findings can be directly applied to improve the competitiveness of the furniture industry. The study offers a comprehensive framework for strategic decision-making, providing valuable insights and a systematic approach applicable to similar problems in various sectors.

Recent global market disruptions, including the COVID-19 crisis, inflation, and oil crises, have highlighted the need for industries to reduce dependence on petrochemicals. However, the coating industry remains reliant on petrochemicals due to a lack of knowledge about local and sustainable alternatives. This study explored the potential of wood extractives as precursors for producing high-quality wood coatings. Terpenes were modified through acrylation, and bio-based latexes were synthesized from these modified terpenes. Analysis showed that all tested latexes had conversion levels above 88.5%. The bio-based films were characterized, and their transparency, measured by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, exceeded 80%. The good incorporation of bio-based monomers in the latex films was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Comparative analysis between bio-based and conventional latexes showed equivalent results in particle size, molecular weight, glass transition temperature, and minimum film formation temperature. However, bio-based films exhibited lower hardness. The study suggests that using monomers derived from wood extractives offers a viable alternative to petrochemicals, utilizing abundant forest residues. This approach could address raw material shortages and help make the coatings industry more sustainable by reducing its reliance on petrochemicals.

The effects of air heat treatment were evaluated on six Korean oak woods: Quercus serrata (Qs), Quercus mongolica (Qm), Quercus acutissima (Qac), Quercus aliena (Qal), Quercus dentata (Qd), and Quercus variabilis (Qv). Color change (ΔE*), weight loss, and density loss were examined using flat-sawn heartwood boards before and after treatment at 160 °C, 180 °C, 200 °C, and 220 °C for 2 h. Overall, the ΔE*, weight loss, and density loss increased with temperature. The properties between temperature and species showed distinct differences. A change to a darker color was observed in all species after treatment at 200 °C. Qm and Qd exhibited the highest and lowest L*, a*, and b* values after treatment at 220 °C, respectively. The highest ΔE* values were obtained in Qd at 160 °C, Qs at 180 °C and 200 °C, and Qv at 220 °C. Qd and Qv exhibited the highest and lowest weight losses at 160 °C, respectively. Qac and Qal showed the highest and lowest weight losses at 220 °C, respectively. Qm showed the highest density loss at all temperatures, whereas Qs had the lowest at 160 °C, and Qac had the lowest values at 180 °C, 200 °C, and 220 °C.

The production of biochar through pyrolysis of biomass is expected to reduce dependence on traditional energy sources and mitigate global warming. However, current predictive models for biochar yield and composition are computationally intensive, complex, and lack accuracy for extrapolative scenarios. This study utilized machine learning to develop predictive models for biochar yield and carbon content based on pyrolysis data from lignocellulosic biomass. Assessing the importance of input features revealed their significant role in predicting biochar properties. The findings indicate that eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithms can accurately forecast biochar yield and carbon content based on biomass characteristics and pyrolysis conditions. This research contributes new insights into understanding biomass pyrolysis and enhancing biochar production efficiency.

Particleboards find extensive application in both civil construction and the furniture industry. Nevertheless, concerns about the interaction of panels with humidity require the exploration of alternative sources to develop a product that meets the requirements for use. This work aims to produce single-layer particleboards with coconut fiber (Cocos nucifera) as substrate, bonded with 10% by mass castor oil-based polyurethane resin (CPUR). Two groups of mixtures were proposed, different from each other in the initial moisture content of the Cocos nucifera particles, ranging from 0 to 2% and from 4% to 6%. For this purpose, density (D), thickness swelling after 24 h (TS), moisture content (MC), and water absorption (WA) were evaluated. The Tukey mean contrast test, at a 5% significance level, was used to verify the influence of the initial moisture content of the particles on the physical properties of the particleboards. The microstructure of the composites was assessed through the utilization of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. The results indicated better compaction of the C. nucifera particles, resulting in fewer voids, contributing to the densification of the panels and, with this, the reduction of water absorption by 15.1%.

Wood specimens were dyed by boiling them in the presence of walnut shells and dye to penetrate the dyestuff into the sample. Specimens prepared from Scots pine, oak, and beech woods were boiled separately in walnut shell, water, and NaOH environment, and the penetration of the dyestuff into the samples was ensured. Sodium hydroxide solution was preferred because it facilitates the dissolution of the hemicelluloses in the wood and the dyestuffs in the walnut shell. Alum was added in other samples to reveal the mordant effect on the adhesion of dyestuffs to wood. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis revealed that wood degradation primarily occurs due to evaporation of free water at 50 to 120 °C, followed by lignin and cellulose breakdown across a wide temperature range of 160 to 600 °C. Treatment with NaOH and NaOH+alum notably reduced the peak temperatures in differential-thermogravimetric analysis by indicating an effect on lignin. This was supported by Fourier transform infrared analysis, particularly in the disappearance of carboxyl groups at 1710 cm^–¹ and significant decreases in peak intensities at 1027, 1247, 1315, and 1501 cm^–¹. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the dyed parts obtained can be used in the wooden toy industry.

This study investigated the mechanical performance of hybrid tubes made via roll-wrapping and enhanced with an aluminum mesh and epoxy matrix (AL-DMEM). The specimens included Basalt + Jute (BJAJB), Basalt + Bamboo (BBmABmB), Basalt + Banana (BBaABaB), Basalt + Hemp (BHAHB), and Basalt (BAB). The BBmABmB specimen showed the best mechanical properties with the highest peak crushing force, specific energy absorption, mean crushing force, and total energy absorption. The AL-DMEM integration improved load-bearing capacity and energy absorption, reducing matrix cracking and fiber breakage. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis highlighted BBmABmB’s robust reinforcement. Its superior structural integrity and aluminum content make it suitable for applications requiring high structural integrity, such as micromobility vehicles, highlighting the potential of AL-DMEM-reinforced composites in advanced engineering applications.

Substituting the use of non-renewable materials with wood-based products in the furniture industry is expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This substitution effect can be quantified by estimating the displacement factor (DF) of wood products. However, the lack of a standardized DF calculation method limits a reliable estimation of DFs for wood substitution in the furniture industry. Herein, DF values were determined for wood substitution in office furniture in Korea using three DF calculation methods, single DF, replacement rate-based DF, and more/less wood-intensive DF. The results indicated that substituting non-wood furniture with wood-based furniture can help reduce GHG emissions, with the most positive DF values observed. The negative DF values generated using the replacement rate-based DF method highlighted the importance of weight calculation when considering wood products. However, the difference in DF calculation methods between studies and the lack of life cycle assessment (LCA) data in Korea must be addressed. In conclusion, these results emphasize the need for a standardized DF calculation method and LCA data to improve the accuracy and applicability of the DF of wood-based furniture products. The present results provide insights into the environmental benefits of replacing non-wood products with wood products in the furniture industry.