Pyrolysis is an optimal thermochemical process for obtaining valuable products (char, oil, and gas) from waste tires. The preliminary research was done on the three groups of samples acquired by cutting the same waste tire of a passenger vehicle into cylindrical granules with a base diameter of 3, 7, and 11 mm. Each batch weighed 10 g. The heating rate was 14 °C/min, and the final pyrolysis temperature was 750 °C, with 90 s residence time. After the pyrolysis product yields were determined for all of the three sample groups, further research was performed only on 3 mm granules, with the same heating rate, but with altered final pyrolytic temperatures (400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, and 750 °C). The results of this study show that thermochemical decomposition of the waste tire sample takes place in the temperature range of 200–500 °C, with three distinct phases of degradation. The highest yield of the pyrolytic oil was achieved at a temperature of 500 °C, but further heating of volatile matters reduced the oil yield, and simultaneously increased the yield of gas, due to the existence of secondary cracking reactions. The analysis of pyrolytic oil and char showed that these products can be used as fuel.

In this multidisciplinary research, an LCA/LCC model is developed for assessing the costs, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the pump unit lifecycles in drinking water distribution systems (WDS). The presented methodology includes the pump, motor, and variable frequency drive monitoring as a system (pump unit), through their life-cycle stages: the manufacturing stage, the exploitation stage, and the disposal stage at the end of their life-cycle. The developed model also analyses other processes such as the maintenance, testing, and reconstruction of the pump unit. Demonstration of the presented methodology was performed using the pump unit of an operating WDS system in different scenarios, in order to illustrate the proper application of this model. The obtained results show that the application of pump units is justified in terms of energy consumption. The results also show that 93%–94% of the consumed energy and the LCC costs are related to the pump operating costs, while the rest are related to auxiliary operations. The findings show that various countries can have considerably different prices of electrical energy and different GHG emissions that depend on the source of electric energy. The implemented model incorporates some of the symmetries that are commonly found in the mathematical models of water distribution systems. Finally, the results of pump unit exploitation within the WDS have been used to show the impact of such plants on different levels of energy consumption, GHG emissions, and LCC production.

The study concerns measurement and evaluation of the geometric characteristics of the inhalable fraction of particulate matter generated in the process of grinding dental restorations, which is a process that generates a large quantity of particulates. The research is based on measurements taken with a personal sampler, whereby the characteristics of particulates are determined based on the particle mass collected on filters. The collected filters were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the resulting micrographs were processed through image analysis. The complex geometry of particles was examined through the analysis of 14 parameters, of which 6 define size and 8 describe morphological characteristics. Two software programs were used for the image analysis process to gather a wide range of parameters describing particle geometry. The relationship and dependence between the geometric parameters used to describe particle shape and size were investigated using multivariate analysis methods. Through correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis, parameter selection and reduction were performed to provide an understanding of the particles inhaled by exposed workers, which also influences the biological response of exposed organisms and the burden on the working environment.

The milling process is recognized as a significant source of airborne particulate matter, particularly within the inhalable and respirable fractions that pose health risks to workers and contribute to environmental pollution. This study investigates the influence of milling operations on the generation of inhalable particles and evaluates their concentration using gravimetric measurement techniques. Air samples were collected on filters with a personal sampler pump during milling operations and analyzed to determine mass concentrations and compliance with occupational exposure limits. The results indicate that particle emissions are strongly dependent on the type of material, milling speed, and tool condition. The findings highlight the importance of continuous monitoring of airborne particulate matter and the implementation of effective dust control strategies to reduce occupational exposure and improve workplace air quality.

Particulate matter (PM) emitted during the digital printing process is potentially dangerous in the sense that it penetrates deep into the operator's lungs. The mass concentration levels of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 particles emitted in the working environment of digital machines were measured after applying two sampling methods, spatial and individual. A sensor sampler with an optical particle counter was used for the spatial method, while a personal sampler of particulate materials was applied for the individual process. The paper's primary goal is to assess the comparability of the concentration of PM particles obtained by different sampling methods.