Plastics and Agriculture

The most common current disposal practices for non-recyclable agricultural plastics waste are burying in the soil (mulching films), burning, or disposing of it in open fields or landfills [13]. All of these practices have serious negative consequences for the environment, and for the health of farmers and consumers, and impact on the quality and market value of agricultural produce. 

---

Approximately 5% of the U.S. consumption of is in agriculture. Boron is a necessary trace nutrient for plants and is added in small quantities to a number of fertilizers. Borates are also used in crop sprays for fast rehef of boron deficiency. Borates, when apphed at relatively high concentration, act as nonselective herbicides. Small quantities of borates are used in the manufacture of alloys and refractories (qv). Molten borates readily dissolve other metal oxides usage as a flux in metallurgy is an important apphcation. Other important small volume apphcations for borates are in fire retardants for both plastics and ceUulosic materials, in hydrocarbon fuels for fungus control, and in automotive antifreeze for corrosion control (see Corrosion and corrosion inhibitors). Borates are used as neutron absorbers in nuclear reactors. Several borates, which are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can be used for insecticidal purposes, eg, TIM-BOR. 

In the field of plastics, the annual production of polyvinylchloride (PVC) is second only to polyethylene. PVC has long been used in various areas, ranging from agriculture and industry to medical equipment and daily life, due to its well-developed production techniques, easy processing, and low price. However, PVC has its own disadvantages, mainly its low stability toward heat and ultraviolet (UV) light. Also, pure PVC is a very hard material that cannot be easily processed and practically used. Common PVC plastics contain various amounts of plasticizers and other additives, including modifiers, stabilizers, and lubricants. 

Derwent World Patents Index. Derwent World Patents Index (DWPI) [76] is a comprehensive database of patent documents published worldwide. It covers over 10 million separate inventions from more than 20 million basic and equivalent patent documents. DWPI is commercially available on the following online services DIALOG, Questel, Orbit, and STN. Pharmaceuticals from 1963, agricultural and veterinary medicine from 1965, plastics and polymers from 1966, all chemistry from 1970, electronics, electrical and mechanical engineering from 1974, and comprehensive coverage of all... 

Calcium carbonate is a common inorganic compound known as limestone. Calcium carbonate has many applications in industries such as medicine, agriculture, paint plastic and surface coatings etc. The vast majority of calcium carbonate used in industry is extracted by mining process. Pure calcium carbonate (e.g. for food or pharmaceutical use), is synthesized by passing carbon dioxide into a solution of calcium hydroxide slurry. In this process calcium carbonate precipitates out, and this grade of product is referred to as precipitate calcium carbonate (abbreviated as PCC). The common reaction is as follows ... 

Some industrially important catalytic reactions (with their catalysts) which are the bases for such large-scale operations as the production of sulfuric acid, agricultural fertilizers, plastics, and fuels are ... 

Narayan R (2001) Drivers for biodegradable/compostable plastics and role of composting in waste management and sustainable agriculture. Bioprocess Solid Waste Sludge 1(1)... 

Applications of plastics in agriculture and horticulture and technical and environmental requirements for products used in these sectors are examined. Italian standards relating to the use of plastics in these applications are reviewed, and statistics are presented for Italian, West European and world consumption of plastics in agriculture in 1995. 

Uses. About 60% of the MA produced is used to make unsaturated polyester and aikyd resins, which are formed by reaction of MA with glycols. Polyester resins are used in the fabrication of glass fiber reinforced parts. Applications include boat hulls, automobile body parts, patio furniture, shower stalls, and pipe. Aikyd resins are mostly used in coatings (paint, varnish, lacquers, and enamels). MA also is widely used as a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of plasticizers and dibasic acids (fumaric, maleic, and succinic). About 15% of MA production goes into the manufacture of viscosity index improvers and dispersants used as additives in lube oils. Several agricultural chemicals are based on maleic anhydride, the best known being Malathion. 

Primary organics are emitted to the atmosphere by industrial sources (oil refineries, chemical plants, producers and users of solvents and plasticizers), vehicles (as a result of incomplete fuel combustion, oxygenated degradation products of lubricating oil, polymers from tires), and agricultural activities (use of pesticides). An exhaustive literature survey is beyond the scope of this section, but can be found in Air Quaiity Criteria for Particulate Matter many useful references are also available. 

Uses Intermediate in the manufacture of dyestuffs, emulsifying agents, pharmaceuticals, mbber and agricultural chemicals, insecticides, corrosion inhibitors, and synthetic tanning agents, plasticizers, and isocyanates for coatings. 

These engineered biocatalysts will in turn provide new means to efficiently utilize natural biopol3nners to synthesize chemical intermediates, fuels, food products, pharmaceuticals and plastics. New synthetic biocatalysts will allow the creation of a host of new biopol3nners possessing new functions and properties for industrial, pharmaceutical and agricultural uses. 

---