Scientists from the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University have developed an innovative method for the disposal of biomedical waste. Plasma waste processing technology and a plasma-chemical reactor developed by domestic scientific researchers have no analogues in the world and are protected by special patents.

The uniqueness of the plasma utilization technology is that it allows complete thermal neutralization of biomedical waste. As a result, the processing efficiency is increased, and the energy consumption for the process is reduced.

Compared to the traditional method, with plasma disposal, biomedical waste can be recycled without sorting.

Note that in connection with COVID-19, the amount of biomedical waste in Kazakhstan, and in the whole world, is steadily growing. And the issue of disposal of medical masks, gloves, shoe covers, protective overalls and other medical supplies is more relevant than ever. Infected highly toxic medical waste is hazardous to both human health and the environment. In this regard, Kazakhstani scientists have developed the most efficient and at the same time the most environmentally friendly way of processing medical waste.

“The main difference between the plasma disposal method and existing technologies is the use of a high-temperature plasma torch. It decomposes all organic and inorganic compounds. In addition, the destruction of complex compounds in plasma is effective in the absence of oxygen. Compared with the methods of incineration of medical waste, the plasma utilization technology has a number of significant advantages. This is a decrease in the volume of the reactor by a factor of 6-8 at high productivity, a decrease in the area of ​​the required production facilities, and an order of magnitude decrease in the volume of waste gases. Waste processing in a plasma-chemical reactor takes place at temperatures up to 2000 K, which improves the melting of the mineral residue and excludes the formation of toxic components, ”explained Alexander Ustimenko, head of the department of the Scientific Research Institute of Experimental and Theoretical Physics of KazNU named after al-Farabi.

Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan