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In semi‐arid cropping regions where rainfall is variable, stored soil water is important for reducing the impacts of dry periods; however, in‐season evaporation limits yield potential. We tested the productivity benefits of protecting wheat and lentil crops from evaporation using inter‐row polymer cover, when grown in southern Australia. For wheat, white polyvinyl chloride (PVCw) increased yield by 50% (561 kg/ha) and 11% (408 kg/ha) for decile 2 (2018) and 3 (2019) seasonal rainfall respectively; and for lentil, yield increases were 20% (443 kg/ha) in 2019. A sprayable alginate polymer increased wheat yield by 8% (310 kg/ha). Total water use for wheat in 2018 was reduced (17 mm) for PVCw and water use efficiency (WUE) significantly increased from 7 to 11 kg/ha/mm, whereas in 2019, WU was greater (47 mm) for PVCw, but WUE was equivalent to the control (~15 kg/ha/mm). Colour of the PVC modified the light available to the crop and canopy temperature, where a highly reflective inter‐row cover (albedo 0.44) increased wheat yield (~487 kg/ha). For the future, formulations of highly reflective polymers applied in‐season within dryland cropping enterprises are likely to provide production advantages, although logistical viability of application and potential environmental implications may define impediments to adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current interest in reusing waste polymer shows substantial benefits of using it as a sustainable polymer in improving asphalt properties, attaining environmental stability and promoting industrial-economic benefits. Waste plastics have a vital role in the current asphalt applications. Trial sections of roads made with waste plastic modified asphalt, during 2019 in Australia, highlighted the significant importance of laboratory assessments yet to be conducted. As such, this study is aimed to investigate the impact of using local waste Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic in binder class C320, which is a common bitumen type used for local road surfacing in Australia. The evaluation of various contents of PET modified bitumen is carried out through two stages for unaged and aged conditions. Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFOT) and Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV) tests were utilised to investigate the rutting, fatigue and aging of bitumen binder. The results showed that the ideal content of waste plastic is 6–8% to improve the rutting and aging resistances. Moreover, 8% PET improves the fatigue cracking resistance as it shows a low fatigue factor (G* sin δ). Hence, application of locally-attained plastic in pavements not only reduces the costs but also improve sustainability of environment and natural resources. Further rutting and fatigue tests on asphalt samples are recommended to better understand the mechanical properties of PET plastic on asphalt mixtures with 6–8% PET plastic. In the event that the outcomes demonstrate an enhancement in the properties of the concrete paving mixture, usage of such a material would be extremely compensating in Australia. Also, this would help decrease the amount of waste scrap plastic, in turn, sustaining the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play a crucial role in the collection and redistribution of plastic particles from both households and industries, contributing to their presence in the environment. Previous studies investigating the levels of plastics in WWTPs, and their removal rates have primarily focused on polymer type, size, shape, colour, and particle count, while comprehensive understanding of the mass concentration of plastic particles, particularly those <1 µm (nanoplastics), remains unclear and lacking. In this study, pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to simultaneously determine the mass concentration of nine selected polymers (i.e., polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), nylon 6, nylon 66, polyvinylchloride (PVC), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC)) below 1 µm in size across the treatment processes or stages of three WWTPs in Australia. All the targeted nanoplastics were detected at concentrations between 0.04 and 7.3 µg/L. Nylon 66 (0.2-7.3 µg/L), PE (0.1-6.6 µg/L), PP (0.1-4.5 µg/L), Nylon 6 (0.1-3.6 µg/L) and PET (0.1-2.2 µg/L), were the predominant polymers in the samples. The mass concentration of the total nanoplastics decreased from 27.7, 18 and 9.1 µg/L in the influent to 1, 1.4 and 0.8 µg/L in the effluent, with approximate removal rates of 96 %, 92 % and 91 % in plants A, B and C, respectively. Based on annual wastewater effluent discharge, it is estimated that approximately 24, 2 and 0.7 kg of nanoplastics are released into the environment per year for WWTPs A, B and C, respectively. This study investigated the mass concentrations and removal rates of nanoplastics with a size range of 0.01-1 µm in wastewater, providing important insight into the pollution levels and distribution patterns of nanoplastics in Australian WWTPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Polymers and plastics play a very important part in the modern world and contribute to people's wellbeing and comfort. However, products made of them are contributing to land‐ and marine‐based environmental pollution due to littering and other ways of emission, and therefore threaten ecosystems worldwide. However, waste management and responses by governments and the consumer differ strongly from country to country. The current article provides an overview of several important aspects of polymer waste and plastic pollution as well as describes selected strategies to mitigate these using examples from Germany and Australia, and therefore aims to contribute to the resolution of the ever‐increasing problem of unsustainable plastic consumption, disposal, and pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Timber as a structural material has been in use since the medieval period. Even today, there are many residential houses being built with timber frame in Australia. Wooden wharfs and bridges are common examples of timber structures in coastal regions of Australia. Humidity in such coastal regions is often high causing an increase in moisture level in the timber structures. Besides, over-loading, rot and decay, termites and borers, etc. cause damage to timber and presence of moisture either aggravates this or favours such causes. Hence, there has been an increased demand for repair and rehabilitation of heritage and important timber structures. Strengthening wooden structures with fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) is becoming popular in the construction industry. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the effect of moisture on the durability of the timber-FRP interface. After reviewing previous studies in the durability of the timber-FRP composite, it has been found that prolonged moisture exposure leads to premature debonding in the timber-FRP interface. A graphical representation of the effect of moisture on bond failure has been established through this research work after investigating the previous work of scholars. This paper also highlights the significance of applying adhesion promoter in enhancing the performance of timber-FRP interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics, especially from packaging, have gained increasing attention in waste management, driving many policy initiatives to improve the circularity of these materials in the economy to increase resource efficiency. In this context, the EU has proposed increasing targets to encourage the recycling of (plastic) packaging. To accurately calculate the recycling rates, detailed information on the flows of plastic packaging is needed. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to quantitatively and qualitatively investigate the waste management system for plastic packaging in Austria in 2013 using material flow analysis, taking into account the used product types and the polymer composition. The results show that 300,000 ± 3% t/a (35 kg/cap·a) of waste plastic packaging were produced, mainly composed of large and small films and small hollow bodies, including PET bottles. Correspondingly, the polymer composition of the waste stream was dominated by LDPE (46% ± 6%), PET (19% ± 4%) and PP (14% ± 6%). 58% ± 3% was collected separately, and regarding the final treatment, 26% ± 7% of the total waste stream was recovered as re-granulates, whereas the rest was thermally recovered in waste-to-energy plants (40% ± 3%) and the cement industry (33% ± 6%). The targets set by the EU and Austria were reached comfortably, although to reach the proposed future target major technological steps regarding collection and sorting will be needed. However, the current calculation point of the targets, i.e. on the input side of the recycling plant, is not deemed to be fully in line with the overall objective of the circular economy, namely to keep materials in the economy and prevent losses. It is therefore recommended that the targets be calculated with respect to the actual output of the recycling process, provided that the quality of the output products is maintained, to accurately assess the performance of the waste management system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last 50 years, Australian researchers have made significant contributions to polymer science. Australian scientists have participated in the discovery of many polymerization techniques such as nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP), addition-fragmentation polymerization (AFT), and the well-known Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer polymerization (RAFT), as well as the successful commercialization of products utilizing polymers, most notably the plastic banknote. These successful commercial products have enabled the development of a strong polymer community in Australia whose work ranges from polymer synthesis to polymer physics. Junkers and co-workers[4] have combined the RAFT process with photopolymerization to precisely grow polymer brushes from silicon wafers. [Extracted from the article]

This study aims to understand the amount and type of microplastics flowing into Port Phillip Bay from urban rivers around Melbourne. Water samples were collected from the Patterson, Werribee, Maribyrnong, and Yarra Rivers, which contribute 97 % to the total flow into Port Phillip Bay. On average, the rivers contained a mean of 9 ± 15 microplastics/L and ranged from 4 ± 3 microplastics/L (Patterson) to 22 ± 11 microplastics/L (Werribee). Of the eight polymers investigated, polyamide and polypropylene were the most frequently detected polymers. Using the mean concentration of each river, the flow of microplastics into Port Philip Bay was estimated to be 7.5 × 10 6 microplastics per day and 3.7 × 10 10 microplastics per year. To fully understand the fate and transport of microplastics into Port Phillip Bay, this study would be the foundation for a more in-depth investigation. Here, further samples will be collected at more points along the river and at the midpoint of each season., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

ABSTRACT Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is the treatment of choice for chronic wounds; yet, it is associated with considerable workload. Prompted by its nonadhesive and wound-healing properties, this study investigated the effect of an additional polymeric membrane interface dressing (PMD; PolyMem WIC) in NPWT. From October 2011 to April 2013, 60 consecutive patients with chronic leg wounds or surgical site infections after revascularization of lower extremities were randomly allocated to either treatment with conventional NPWT (control arm) or NPWT with an additional PMD (intervention arm). The primary outcome was wound healing achieved within 30 days, the secondary endpoints included: number of days between dressing changes, wound-related pain, cost efficiency, and occurrence of adverse events ( Identifier: NCT02399722). Forty-seven patients completed follow-up. No difference in wound healing was observed ( p > 0.05) between both study arms. The additional PMD allowed significantly longer wearing times (days) between dressing changes (intervention: 8.8 ± 0.5, control: 4.8 ± 0.2; p < 0.001). Pain was slightly higher in patients randomized to NPWT alone (VAS score: 4.8 ± 2.9) compared to NPWT + PMD (VAS score: 3.0 ± 2.9, p = 0.063). No wound infections were observed. Costs were reduced by 34% per patient in the intervention arm. These results suggest that the combination of NPWT and an additional interface PMD is a safe and economic method for the treatment of chronic wounds, which requires significantly fewer dressing changes for a comparable wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, the road network is extensive and consists chiefly of unbound granular material overlain by a thin layer of asphalt. With trafficking and adverse environmental conditions, roads may become unserviceable quite quickly. So there is a need to re-condition granular roads through in-situ recycling to achieve the sustainability goals of re-use of materials and reduction of greenhouse gases by minimizing transport of materials. Bitumen, in the form of either cold emulsion or foamed bitumen, has been used for this purpose quite successfully, but there exist situations where it is too expensive for the road authority, given the nature of the road, or bitumen may not be suitable if plastic fines exist in the pavement material. Environmental conditions such as poor drainage of primarily flat land may also have local government looking for alternative treatments. Hydrophobic dry powder polymers (DPP) mixed with lime can serve to provide an improved road base quickly at relatively low cost. Unfortunately the literature on polymer additives in aggregates is quite limited and so research has commenced with the aid of local government agencies in Adelaide, South Australia. In this paper a field trial and laboratory investigation are presented on the comparative engineering properties of treated and untreated aggregates from a road trial. Testing has included hydraulic conductivity, large column capillary rise tests and repeated loading triaxial testing. Performance of the road sections will be monitored in the coming years through La Croix Deflectograph testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coverage of polymer science and engineering in Australian universities was surveyed by contacting respondents and accessing course and unit catalogues of Australian universities. It was found that the breadth and extent of undergraduate education in polymers was not strongly correlated with the profile of polymer-related research at an institution, and that few institutions appeared to have a systemic commitment to polymer science. Polymer education was stronger in engineering faculties than science faculties, with a majority of Australian undergraduate students studying polymers to a significant extent enrolled in BEng programs. Most responses were consistent with a decline in polymer education over the past few decades, with units of study no longer offered and the reduction of polymer content in the units that remained. It was estimated that approximately 700 students with significant exposure to polymers graduate from Australian BSc and BEng programs annually. Given the small extent of the Australian polymer industry and the large proportion of foreign-trained professionals in Australia, the extent of polymer education in Australia appears to be adequate for the needs of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics pollution is a global issue impacting every part of our environment. Tyre road wear particle (TRWP) plastics pollution is thought to be one of the largest pollution sources in urban environments. These plastics are also of concern due to the presence of additive chemicals, incorporated during manufacture, that can be released into the surrounding environment. This study aimed to provide information on concentrations of a range of anthropogenic plastics related pollutants in the Australian environment through a scoping study of surface water in 5 key urban centres around Queensland, Australia. Samples were analysed for a suite of 15 common tyre additive chemicals, TRWPs and 6 common high production polymers, and included the new transformation product of concern 6PPD-quinone which has recent reports of causing mass mortality events in certain aquatic species. The additives were ubiquitously detected (2.9-1440 ng/L) with 6PPD-quinone concentrations lower than in previous studies (<0.05-24 ng/L) and TRWPs detected at 18 of the 21 sites (

Abstract: This paper describes the examination and analysis of 1-methylaminoanthraquinone dye staining on Australian polymeric bank notes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Main Roads of Western Australia has a continuing program of bridge upgrading, to refurbish and strengthen bridges to allow for increasing vehicle traffic and increasing axle loads. A 40-year-old, four-span reinforced concrete slab bridge was retrofitted with application of CFRP laminate strips on the top of the deck over the piers, as well as on the deck soffit in the midspan regions, to reduce high moments in both hogging and sagging. The dynamic assessment of the bridge before and after strengthening works provided the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the strengthening intervention through dynamic measurements. A performance evaluation of the repaired structure was carried out through traffic loading application on the updated numerical models of the bridge, before and after retrofit. As a main observation, the addition of CFRP laminate strips led to a significant increase of the structural capacity in flexure. The paper discusses the results obtained from the dynamic-based assessment in terms of effectiveness of the strengthening intervention as well as of efficiency in using such a methodology to evaluate the capacity increase of the retrofitted bridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics are an intrinsic part of modern life with many beneficial uses for society. Yet, there is increasing evidence that plastic and microplastic pollution poses a risk to the environment and human health. Microplastics are increasingly grouped as a complex mix of polymers with different physicochemical and toxicological properties. This study attempts to assess the hazardous properties of common polymer types through the development of an integrated multi-criteria framework. The framework establishes a systematic approach to identify plastic polymers of concern. A semi-quantitative method was devised using twenty-one criteria. We used a case study from Victoria, Australia, to evaluate the effectiveness of the framework to characterize the environmental risk of common polymer types. A wide range of data sources were interrogated to complete an in-depth analysis across the material life cycle. We found that three polymers had the highest risk of harm: polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, and polystyrene; with dominant sectors being: building and construction, packaging, consumer and household, and automotive sectors; and greatest leakage of plastics at the end-of-life stages. Our findings illustrate the complexity of microplastics as an emerging contaminant, and its scalability supports decision-makers globally to identify and prioritize management strategies to address the risks posed by plastics. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: The hazardous nature of mismanaged plastics is an international concern. The negative impacts on the environment and human health are increasingly coming to light. Consequently, resource constraints limits the ability to address all problems. Our work adopts a holistic approach to evaluate the risk of harm from microplastics across the entire life cycle to allow for targeted management measures. The hazard assessment of common polymer types developed using a multi-criteria framework, presents a systematic approach to prioritize polymers at any scale. This allows for the development of optimal investments and interventions to ensure that high-risk environmental problems are addressed first., (Crown Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Metal acetylacetonates are coordination complexes of metal ions and the acetylacetonate anion with diverse uses including catalysts, cross-linking agents and adhesion promotors. Some metal acetylacetonates can photostabilize polymers whereas others are photocatalysts. We hypothesize that the ability of metal acetylacetonates to photostabilize wood will vary depending on the metal in the coordination complex. We test this hypothesis by treating yellow cedar veneers with different acetylacetonates (Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Ti), exposing veneers to natural weathering in Australia, and measuring changes in properties of treated veneers. The most effective treatments were also tested on yellow cedar panels exposed to the weather in Vancouver, Canada. Nickel, manganese, and titanium acetylacetonates were able to restrict weight and tensile strength losses and delignification of wood veneers during natural weathering. Titanium acetylacetonate was as effective as a reactive UV absorber at reducing the greying of panels exposed to 6 months of natural weathering, and both titanium and manganese acetylacetonates reduced the photo-discoloration of panels finished with a polyurethane coating. We conclude that the effectiveness of metal acetylacetonates at photostabilizing wood varies depending on the metal in the coordination complex, and titanium and manganese acetylacetonate show promise as photoprotective primers for wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Onset Theory developed by researchers at Boeing and The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia, which predicts the onset of irreversible damage in the composite, consisted with composites failure prediction. Tests were carried out on unidirectional off-axis test coupons, to clarify the validity of the Theory at engineering level. Meanwhile, researchers performed molecular modelling on small repeating cells for a range of polymer systems.

The article discusses the need to improve breast implant's registry in Australia. It is indicated that the unlicensed silicone polymers of the French company Poly Implant Prothèse and the possible link of lymphoma to silicone generate concern on a possible rise in implant rupture rate. It is proposed that the new Australian Breast Device Registry submits to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) standards, specifically implementing an opt-out system.

The article focuses on the toys regarding expanding problem of water-absorbing beads associated with risk of serious bowel obstruction in children ingesting water beads and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued a warning urging companies not to market water beads as toys.

This introduction sets the background to this special issue, which arose from the 33rd Australasian Polymer Symposium (33APS) held in Hobart, Tasmania, from 12 to 15 February 2012. The APS is the flagship meeting for polymer science in Australia and, over the years, the symposium has developed a strong reputation for bringing together the latest polymer research from top international and Australian polymer scientists. This special issue includes some of the best contributions to 33APS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the developments involving coating solutions in the industry. It states that researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia are developing coatings containing modified titanium dioxide particles that may be used in self-cleaning paints. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Professor Alex Klibanov and his group have designed and synthesized polymers that can be painted onto a material that kills on contact human pathogenic bacteria and the influenza virus. The research was said to be funded by the U.S. Army and according to Kilbanov, the commercial potential for this coating could be high.

The article discuses the use of molecular and chemical forces to self-assemble functional structures that could be integrated into electronic and optical devices. It discusses the study by Thomas Russell at Paul Mulvaney University in Melbourne, Australia and his colleagues about forcing diblock polymer to form a microdomains. It also relates that the resulting hexagonal, closed-packed pores are just 12 nanometres with nearest-neighbor spacing needed to be tunable over a range of 10-50 nanometers. Moreover, it reveals that diblock structure can be tuned to provide a range of surface topologies and several potential templates.

Reports that the science minister Peter McGauran presented the awards to Cooperative Research Centers (CRC) in Australia. CRC for Australian Weed Management; CRC for Polymers; CRC for Cast Metals Manufacturing; CRC Mining.

Objectives: This first-in-human multicenter study sought to examine prospectively the safety and efficacy of a new, cobalt chromium thin-strut, coronary absorbable polymer-coated, sirolimus-eluting stent., Background: Bioabsorbable polymers on drug-eluting stents may lower the long-term risks of inflammation, delayed healing, and adverse events., Methods: We enrolled patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease with stable or unstable angina pectoris and >50% diameter stenosis, amenable to coverage with a ≤23-mm long stent in a vessel 2.5 to 3.5 mm in diameter. All patients received dual antiplatelet therapy after implantation. Patients, in groups of 10, underwent repeat angiography, intravascular ultrasound, and optical coherence tomography at 4, 6, or 8 months, and all patients were seen or contacted at 18 months of follow-up., Results: The median (range) in-stent late lumen loss (LLL) was 0.03 mm (-0.22 to 0.21 mm), 0.10 mm (-0.03 to 1.2 mm), and 0.08 mm (-0.01 to 0.28 mm), at 4, 6, and 8 months, respectively. At 18 months, the median in-stent LLL was 0.08 mm (-0.30 to 0.46 mm). On optical coherence tomography, the proportion of uncovered stent struts decreased from a median of 7.3% (range 0.4% to 46.3%) at 4 months to 0% (range: 0% to 3.4%) at 18 months. The percentage of neointimal volume obstruction by intravascular ultrasound increased from a median of 5.3% to 9.1% between 4 and 6 months and remained nearly unchanged thereafter through 18 months of follow-up. The only recorded major adverse cardiac event was a myocardial infarction., Conclusions: At 18 months of follow-up, this absorbable polymer-coated, cobalt chromium sirolimus-eluting stent was associated with a low and stable in-stent LLL, complete strut coverage, and no stent thrombosis. (First-In-Human Trial of the MiStent Drug-Eluting Stent [DES] in Coronary Artery Disease [DESSOLVE-I]; NCT01247428)., (Copyright © 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The penetration of solar erythemal ultraviolet radiation has been measured in the shade of a gum (Eucalyptus sp.) and a she oak (Casaurina) tree, both on a horizontal plane and with polysulphone dosimeters to human anatomical sites. This has provided new data useful for protection strategies against harmful ultraviolet radiation. For larger solar zenith angles, the relative penetration of solar erythemal ultraviolet in the shade of the trees is higher. On a horizontal plane, at noon, in winter, the shade erythemal ultraviolet ranged from 44 to 55% of that in the sun whereas in spring it ranged from 29 to 37% of the irradiances in the sun. Similarly, at 9:00 EST and 15:00 EST, the shade erythemal ultraviolet in winter ranged from 51 to 81% of the irradiances in the sun whereas in spring and summer they ranged from 35 to 51% of the unshaded irradiances. The shade ratios for specific body sites provided by the shade of the two trees were 0.05 to 0.45 for the solar zenith angles in this research. The shade ratios ranged from 0.14 to 0.45 for the gum tree and from 0.05 to 0.28 for the she oak. The denser foliage of the she oak provided higher ultraviolet protection compared to that of the gum tree.

The reliability and validity of sun exposure questions were examined in a group of 125 schoolchildren aged 14-15 years of northern European ancestry. We compared estimates of erythemally effective dose (EED) obtained from polysulphone badges worn on four consecutive weekend days in late spring to answers to several questions on habitual sun exposure. The polysulphone badge estimates accurately reflected the reported sun exposure of children and were highly correlated with responses to questions on habitual sun exposure obtained 12 months earlier. For the question "During weekends and school holidays, how much time do you usually spend in the sun each day", the Pearson correlation coefficients for the association with EED were 0.36 (girls) and 0.23 (boys). Adjusted for within-person variation in the EED measurements, the correlation coefficients were 0.65 (girls) and 0.43 (boys). For the question "Weekends and school holidays, where do you spend your time", the correlation coefficients were 0.18 (girls) and 0.32 (boys); the adjusted coefficients were 0.30 (girls) and 0.53 (boys). The findings suggest that "habitual' sun exposure in teenage children is a temporally stable behaviour that is reported with an acceptable degree of reliability and validity.