Applications of Ionic Liquids in Plastic
and Lignin Waste Recycling
Egwim Evans and Samuel Egharevba
Abstract
This paper aptly reviews the advances in the application
of ionic liquids in the recycling of single-use plastic and
lignin. It explores the predominant use of this green
solvent in recycling these wastes. Waste remediation
processes often prove laborious employing traditional
methods. The use of ionic liquids reveals bespoke
advantages over the use of these conventional solvents.
Compared to available researches and data of other
solvents, studies on ionic liquids are yet to take full shape.
More researches and studies on this green solvent are still
required and useful in fully maximizing the field and to
further promote sustainability.
1 Introduction
Increasing waste deposits remains a subject of many conversations across platforms and continents. Particularly, the
United Nations and the World Health Organization, continue
to draw attention to the impending dangers of neglect. In the
most recent publication by the World Bank, global attention
was also drawn to the continued generation and accumulation of wastes across the globe (Kaza et al. 2018). These
wastes are environmentally unfavorable and noxious to
human health. Plastics are now known to be the largest
contributor of wastes world over. Global plastic wastes
generation is about 400 MMT/yr. (million metric tons per
year). The Ellen McArthur Foundation forecasted a world of
more plastics than fish in the ocean by the year 2050.
Another source of waste (though relatively minimal) is from
the pulp and paper industry. Lignin is the major byproduct of
this industry. Recent statistics reveal a production rate of 50
MMT/yr. (Wang et al. 2013). Numerous palliatives have
been provided to curb the noxious effects of wastes. Recycling is now a household name in most industries as many
industry players have and are developing strategies around
the full utilization of recycling. However, peculiar challenges abound with the recycling of waste materials. From
the collection of wastes to sorting, cleaning, removal of
contaminants to the purification steps, numerous constraints
limit its bounds. Many of the industrial recycling processes
are cost-intensive (Meszaros 1995), some others require high
energy utility, and some more require laborious processes of
purification and re-purification; as recycling may generate
new classes of wastes (Mourshed et al. 2017).
The introduction of Green Chemistry sought to create a
modus operandi for the operations of chemical processes,
thereby limiting the effects of waste generation through
biochemical and chemical processes (Clarke et al. 2018).
Ionic liquids (ILs) are a new class of chemicals (solvents),
which caters to green processes and operations. Lignin and
plastics recycling has increasingly seen more applications
for the use of ILs in recycling processes.
1.1 Green Chemistry
From their popular release, which now forms a deep root in
the understanding of Green Chemistry, Paul Anastas and
John Warner defined the subject as the “design” of chemical
systems, processes, and products to lessen or eradicate the
usage and generation of environmentally unsafe substances
(Anastas and Eghbali 2010). Green chemistry ever since is
hinged on 12 core frameworks of operation. These 12 were
introduced in 1998, and are now conveniently summarized
into memorable acronyms as well. The chart described
shows the make-up of the basic guiding principles of any
green process (Fig. 1).
E. Evans (&)
Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Federal
University of Technology, PMB 65, Minna, Niger, Nigeria
e-mail: c.egwim@futminna.edu.ng
S. Egharevba
Chemistry Department, Federal University of Technology, PMB
65, Minna, Niger, Nigeria
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Inamuddin and A. Khan (eds.), Sustainable Bioconversion of Waste to Value Added Products, Advances in Science,
Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61837-7_20
329
and Lignin Waste Recycling
Egwim Evans and Samuel Egharevba
Abstract
This paper aptly reviews the advances in the application
of ionic liquids in the recycling of single-use plastic and
lignin. It explores the predominant use of this green
solvent in recycling these wastes. Waste remediation
processes often prove laborious employing traditional
methods. The use of ionic liquids reveals bespoke
advantages over the use of these conventional solvents.
Compared to available researches and data of other
solvents, studies on ionic liquids are yet to take full shape.
More researches and studies on this green solvent are still
required and useful in fully maximizing the field and to
further promote sustainability.
1 Introduction
Increasing waste deposits remains a subject of many conversations across platforms and continents. Particularly, the
United Nations and the World Health Organization, continue
to draw attention to the impending dangers of neglect. In the
most recent publication by the World Bank, global attention
was also drawn to the continued generation and accumulation of wastes across the globe (Kaza et al. 2018). These
wastes are environmentally unfavorable and noxious to
human health. Plastics are now known to be the largest
contributor of wastes world over. Global plastic wastes
generation is about 400 MMT/yr. (million metric tons per
year). The Ellen McArthur Foundation forecasted a world of
more plastics than fish in the ocean by the year 2050.
Another source of waste (though relatively minimal) is from
the pulp and paper industry. Lignin is the major byproduct of
this industry. Recent statistics reveal a production rate of 50
MMT/yr. (Wang et al. 2013). Numerous palliatives have
been provided to curb the noxious effects of wastes. Recycling is now a household name in most industries as many
industry players have and are developing strategies around
the full utilization of recycling. However, peculiar challenges abound with the recycling of waste materials. From
the collection of wastes to sorting, cleaning, removal of
contaminants to the purification steps, numerous constraints
limit its bounds. Many of the industrial recycling processes
are cost-intensive (Meszaros 1995), some others require high
energy utility, and some more require laborious processes of
purification and re-purification; as recycling may generate
new classes of wastes (Mourshed et al. 2017).
The introduction of Green Chemistry sought to create a
modus operandi for the operations of chemical processes,
thereby limiting the effects of waste generation through
biochemical and chemical processes (Clarke et al. 2018).
Ionic liquids (ILs) are a new class of chemicals (solvents),
which caters to green processes and operations. Lignin and
plastics recycling has increasingly seen more applications
for the use of ILs in recycling processes.
1.1 Green Chemistry
From their popular release, which now forms a deep root in
the understanding of Green Chemistry, Paul Anastas and
John Warner defined the subject as the “design” of chemical
systems, processes, and products to lessen or eradicate the
usage and generation of environmentally unsafe substances
(Anastas and Eghbali 2010). Green chemistry ever since is
hinged on 12 core frameworks of operation. These 12 were
introduced in 1998, and are now conveniently summarized
into memorable acronyms as well. The chart described
shows the make-up of the basic guiding principles of any
green process (Fig. 1).
E. Evans (&)
Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Federal
University of Technology, PMB 65, Minna, Niger, Nigeria
e-mail: c.egwim@futminna.edu.ng
S. Egharevba
Chemistry Department, Federal University of Technology, PMB
65, Minna, Niger, Nigeria
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Inamuddin and A. Khan (eds.), Sustainable Bioconversion of Waste to Value Added Products, Advances in Science,
Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61837-7_20
329