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Pyrolytic conversion of human hair to fuel: performance evaluation and kinetic modelling

  • Applications of Emerging Green Technologies for Efficient Valorization of Agro-Industrial Waste: A Roadmap Towards Sustainable Environment and Circular Economy
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Abstract

There are several environmental and human health impacts if human hair waste is not adequately disposed of. In this study, pyrolysis of discarded human hair was carried out. This research focused on the pyrolysis of discarded human hair under controlled environmental conditions. The effects of the mass of discarded human hair and temperature on bio-oil yield were studied. The proximate and ultimate analyses and calorific values of disposed of human hair, bio-oil, and biochar were determined. Further, chemical compounds of bio-oil were analyzed using a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer. Finally, the kinetic modeling and behavior of the pyrolysis process were characterized through FT-IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis. Based on the optimized mass of disposed of human hair, 250 g had a better bio-oil yield of 97% in the temperature range of 210–300 °C. The different parameters of bio-oil were: pH (2.87), specific gravity (1.17), moisture content (19%), heating value (19.34 MJ/kg), and viscosity (50 CP). C (56.4%), H (6.1%), N (0.16%), S (0.01%), O (38.4%), and Ash (0.1%) were discovered to be the elemental chemical composition of bio-oil (on a dry basis). During breakdown, the release of different compounds like hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones, acids, and alcohols takes place. According to the GC–MS results, several amino acids were discovered in the bio-oil, 12 abundant in the discarded human hair. The FTIR and thermal analysis found different concluding temperatures and wave numbers for functional groups. Two main stages are partially separated at about 305 °C, with maximum degradation rates at about 293 oC and 400–4140 °C, respectively. The mass loss was 30% at 293 0C and 82% at temperatures above 293 0C. When the temperature reached 4100C, the entire bio-oil from discarded human hair was distilled or thermally decomposed.

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Data availability

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.

Abbreviations

A:

Pre-exponential factor (min−1)

α:

Weight loss rate

β:

Heating rate (K min−1)

E:

Activation energy (kJ mol−1)

f(α):

A function depended on weight loss rate

g(α):

Integrated reaction model

k:

Reaction rate constant (min−1)

n:

Order of reaction

p(x):

Integral function

R:

Universal gas constant (8.3145 J mol−1 K−1)

T:

Temperature (K)

t:

Time (min)

x:

Equivalent form of E/RT

W0 :

Initial weight in mg

Wf :

Final weight in mg

Wt :

Weight of sample at a given time

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) for providing the necessary institutional facilities.

Funding

One of author (P. Krishnakumar) thankful to the Ministry of Education (MoE) and MANIT Bhopal, India for the Fellowship assistantship.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Energy, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology Bhopal, Bhopal, 462 003, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Prabhakaran Krishnakumar & Prashant Baredar

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology Bhopal, Bhopal, 462 003, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Suresh Sundaramurthy

  3. M/S Eco-Science & Technology, Bhopal, 462003, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Arisutha Suresh

  4. Chemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11541, Saudi Arabia

    Moonis Ali Khan

  5. International Research Centre of Nanotechnology for Himalayan Sustainability (IRCNHS), Shoolini University, Solan, 173212, Himachal Pradesh, India

    Gaurav Sharma

  6. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Polymer Science and Technology, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Nanshan District Key Lab. for Biopolymers and Safety Evaluation, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People’s Republic of China

    Gaurav Sharma

  7. School of Science and Technology, Global University, Saharanpur, India

    Gaurav Sharma

  8. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of Mazandaran, P.O. Box, Behshahr, 48518-78195, Iran

    Sasan Zahmatkesh

  9. Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingenieríay Ciencias, Puebla, Mexico

    Sasan Zahmatkesh

  10. Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan

    Kassian T. T. Amesho

  11. The International University of Management, Centre for Environmental Studies, Main Campus, Dorado Park Ext 1, Windhoek, Namibia

    Kassian T. T. Amesho

  12. Destinies Biomass Energy and Farming Pty Ltd, P.O.Box 7387, Swakomund, Namibia, South Africa

    Kassian T. T. Amesho

  13. Faculty of Science and Technology, School of Applied Physics, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mika Sillanpää

  14. International Research Centre of Nanotechnology for Himalayan Sustainability (IRCNHS), Shoolini University, Solan, 173212, Himachal Pradesh, India

    Mika Sillanpää

  15. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Mining, Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, P. O. Box 17011, Doornfontein, 2028, South Africa

    Mika Sillanpää

  16. Zhejiang Rongsheng Environmental Protection Paper Co. LTD, NO.588 East Zhennan Road, Pinghu Economic Development Zone, Zhejiang, 314213, People’s Republic of China

    Mika Sillanpää

Authors
  1. Prabhakaran Krishnakumar
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  2. Suresh Sundaramurthy
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  3. Prashant Baredar
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  4. Arisutha Suresh
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  5. Moonis Ali Khan
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  6. Gaurav Sharma
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  7. Sasan Zahmatkesh
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  8. Kassian T. T. Amesho
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  9. Mika Sillanpää
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by [P.Krishnakumar], [S. Suresh], [S. Arisutha], [Moonis Ali Khan], [Gaurav Sharma], [Sasan Zahmatkesh], [Kassian T.T. Amesho] and [Mika Sillanpää]. The first draft of the manuscript was written by [P.Krishnakumar] and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Sasan Zahmatkesh.

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Krishnakumar, P., Sundaramurthy, S., Baredar, P. et al. Pyrolytic conversion of human hair to fuel: performance evaluation and kinetic modelling. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 125104–125116 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26991-6

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