Massimiliano Rossetti

Dr. Massimiliano Rossetti


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
26 November 2024 in Applied Sciences
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
NLNiccolò Lamanna
Niccolò Lamanna
GZGiovanni Zuccante
Giovanni Zuccante
MRMassimiliano Rossetti
Massimiliano Rossetti
AFAndrea Franzetti
Andrea Franzetti
Carlo SantoroCarlo Santoro
Carlo Santoro
Luca ZoiaLuca Zoia
Luca Zoia
Cigarette butt littering poses a significant environmental challenge, with billions of butts discarded each year, fouling ecosystems with slow-to-decompose cellulose acetate filters that absorb and release harmful compounds. In response, an innovative, sustainable approach for valorizing ballot bin waste (BBW) by extracting high-quality cellulose acetate from cigarette butts was investigated. This green approach eliminates the need for hazardous acids and toxic solvents, resulting in a yield of 30% (w/w) and a degree of substitution (DS) of 2.0–2.5, which is comparable to pure cellulose acetate. The following four essential processes are involved in this process: filter separation, water washing to remove impurities, ethanol purification, and acetone precipitation of the cellulose acetate. This approach not only mitigates environmental harm, but also supports circular economy goals by transforming waste into valuable resources.