MICROWAVE REMEDIATION OF HAZARDOUS MEDICAL WASTES

项目描述（由申请人提供）：本项目拟建立并测试一台容量为20 L的医疗废物修复器。感染性医疗废物（IMW）主要来自医院，是美国产生的危险废物的主要组成部分。事实上，每年的发电量超过450万吨。2003年，医院废物处理是一个价值15亿美元的产业。焚烧仍然是主要的处理方法，但环境污染、当地强烈反对、运输、高成本以及最近（1997年）法律关闭焚烧厂的威胁等问题持续存在。该公司最近展示了一种用于IMW修复的新技术，该技术涉及将IMW浸入专用液体中，这些液体通过微波特异性激活，以产生与高压灭菌器一样或更有效的抗菌和抗病毒活性。这项技术使用独特的微波活性液体，专有的微波增强剂和简单的环境压力技术。它产生了一种极其廉价、快速、环保、局部、服务点的IMW修复方法，就像局部复印机或碎纸机一样可用。第一阶段的工作进一步发展了这一点，展示了对各种混合IMW的应用，包括金属部件、绷带、手套、棉花等和实际的医院废物。通常情况下，使用1.1 KW的烤箱，可以在7分钟内对650 mL微波液中的400 g废物进行修复，最终重量/体积减少到小于原来的15%。对微波废液的热降解产物进行了详细分析。建立了一个机械原型，并设计和评估了一个全微波功能的原型。AOAC杀菌试验和微波杀菌。-在之前的工作中也进行了仅热测试。在建议的第二阶段工作中，将建造一个功能齐全的修复器，进行测试和改进，以达到适合移交给大型合同制造商的设计。将使用AOAC杀孢剂和定量试验以及对实际医院废物的试验来验证性能，并与现有基准方法进行比较。这项工作是与一家高度专业化的微波设计公司、世界一流大学微波化学小组之一、区域生物防御实验室和一家大型医院合作完成的。该公司的技术估计修复成本为每吨900美元，而焚烧法为每吨2900美元，微波蒸汽法则更多。对于30公斤/小时的吞吐量，该公司的技术估计资本成本低于8万美元，而现场高压灭菌为18万美元，微波蒸汽为8万美元。公共卫生相关性：该技术有可能完全取代医疗废物的焚烧（已经受到公共卫生问题的困扰）以及昂贵的方法，如原位高压灭菌和微波蒸煮，产生一种廉价、环保、局部、服务点的医疗废物修复方法，具有巨大的公共效益[1-26]。独立研究[2-4]表明，它最初（在5年内）可以占据（2008年）超过20亿美元的医疗废物修复市场的约10%至30%，随后可能会更多。该公司的技术估计运行成本是其他方法的1/3到1/6，资金成本是其他方法的1/3到1/10，与其他方法（焚烧除外）留下大量残余废物相比，它留下的废物不到原始体积的15%。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project proposes to build and test a 20 L capacity Remediator for medical wastes. Infectious Medical Wastes (IMW), mainly from hospitals, represents a major component of hazardous wastes generated in the U.S.. In fact, more than 4.5 million tons are generated per year. Hospital waste remediation was a $1.5 billion industry in 2003. Incineration remains the predominant disposal method, with continued problems of environmental pollution, severe local opposition, transportation, high costs and the threat of recent (1997) laws shutting down incinerators. This firm recently demonstrated a novel technique for remediation of IMW that involves submersing the IMW in proprietary liquids that are specifically activated by microwaves to generate antimicrobial and antiviral activity in a manner as or more effective than an autoclave. This technique uses unique, microwave-active liquids, proprietary microwave enhancers and simple, ambient-pressure techniques. It yields an extremely inexpensive, rapid, environmentally benign, local, point-of-service methodology for remediation of IMW, usable much as a local-area photocopier or shredder. The Phase 1 work further developed this, demonstrating application to a wide variety of mixed IMW, including metallic parts, bandages, gloves, cotton, etc. and actual hospital wastes. Typically, 400 g of wastes in 650 mL of microwave liquid could be remediated in 7 minutes using a 1.1 KW oven, with final weight/-volume reductions to < 15% of original. Detailed analyses of thermal degradation products of the microwave liquid and wastes showed none. A mechanical prototype of a Remediator was built and a fully-microwave-functional prototype was designed and evaluated. AOAC Sporicidal Tests and microwave-vs.-heat-only tests were also done in the prior work. In the proposed Phase 2 work, a fully functional Remediator will be built, tested and refined, to arrive at a design suitable for handing over to a large contract manufacturer. AOAC Sporicidal and quantitative tests and tests with actual hospital wastes will be used to verify performance, along with comparisons with extant benchmark methods. The work is a collaborative effort with a highly specialized microwave design company, one of the world's premier university microwave chemistry groups, the Regional Bio-Defense Lab, and a large hospital. Estimated remediation costs are $900/ton for this firm's technology, vs. $2900/ton for incineration, and more for microwave-steam methods. This firm's technology's estimated capital cost is less than $8 K for a 30 kg/hr throughput, as compared to $18 K for on-site autoclaving and $80 K for microwave-steam. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The technology could, potentially, entirely replace incineration of medical wastes (already beset with public health problems) as well as expensive methods such as in-situ autoclaving and microwave-steaming, yielding an inexpensive, environmentally benign, and local, point-of-service method for medical waste remediation, to great public benefit [1-26]. Independent studies [2-4] show it could initially (within 5 years) capture about 10% to 30% of the more than $2 billion (in 2008) medical waste remediation market, possibly more subsequently. This firm's technology's estimated running costs are 1/3 to 1/6 that of other methods, its capital costs are 1/3 to 1/10 of other methods, and, in contrast to other methods which (with the exception of incineration) leave a large amount of residual waste, it leaves less than 15% of the original volume of waste.