A project conducted by AIT’s expert in environmental engineering,
Professor Chongrak Polprasert (pictured above) from the School
of Environmental Engineering and Management, was featured in the Asia
Research News 2009.
The article which was published in the Asia Research News 2009’s
Environment Section on page 10 is about the effective management of
hazardous wastes by coprocessing in existing cement kilns.
"There are stockpiles of hazardous chemicals in Thailand and the
region which are not properly managed, resulting in wide spread
contamination to the water, air and soil environment.” Professor
Chongrak begins. He adds that the contamination becomes a serious
health threat to humans who are exposed to these hazardous chemicals
which can cause cancer, endocrine disrupting effects and genetic
deformation. Examples of these hazardous chemicals include
PCBs,DDT,Dioxins, PFCs and Bis-phenol compounds, which have been banned
for use but some are still being used in domestic, agricultural and
industrial activities.
Since there are limited or non existing appropriate facilities for
monitoring, treatment/destruction and disposal of these hazardous
chemicals in Thailand and several Asian countries, AIT and SINTEF, with the support of the
Norwegian government, began a project to build capacity and demonstrate
cost-effective technologies for destruction and remediation of these
hazardous chemicals.
He said that the technologies being employed in this project include:
(a) destruction through co-processing in cement kilns and high
temperature industrial waste incinerator and (b) remediation through
nano-phyto technology which employs nano particle and symbiotic
reaction of plants and bacteria to degrade these hazardous chemicals.
“The preliminary results done in Vietnam and Thailand showed the
technical feasibility of the above technologies which will be tested at
pilot- and full-scale demonstration in the near future”, concluded
Professor Chongrak.
Professor Chongrak Polprasert was the former Dean of the School of
Environment, Resources and Development at AT. He remains one of the
region’s most consulted and quoted academician due to his unrivalled
contributions to the field of hazardous waste engineering, resources
recovery and sanitation. He recently authored a book on Organic Waste
Recycling and was awarded Thailand’s National Scientist for his
outstanding research in environmental engineering, particularly in the
use of natural systems for water pollution control and waste recycling
in 2000.
Download:
Asia Research News 2009: http://www.researchsea.com//pdf/Asia-Research-News-2009.pdf
Watch:
Professor Chongrak Polprasert, with AIT team, presenting one of his
researches to HRH Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Princess of Thailand:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUhgEINElbU&feature=channel_page