Anna Gronba-Chyła

The increasing generation of municipal waste and the depletion of natural mineral resources have intensified the search for sustainable alternatives for construction materials within the framework of the circular economy. While waste glass, industrial residues, and selected municipal waste fractions have been extensively investigated individually as raw materials for lightweight aggregates, their simultaneous incorporation into a single ceramic matrix remains largely unexplored. To address this research gap, the present study investigates the feasibility of producing lightweight ceramic aggregates through the simultaneous incorporation of three municipal waste streams street sweeping waste (SSW), waste glass, and bulky waste into a clay-based ceramic matrix. Three ceramic mixtures containing different proportions of these waste materials were prepared, pelletized, and fired at 1100 °C. The produced aggregates were characterized in terms of loose bulk density, water absorption, total heavy metal concentrations, and heavy metal leachability, while the bulky waste was additionally characterized by loss on ignition to determine its organic matter content. All produced aggregates satisfied the requirements of PN-EN 13055-1 for lightweight aggregates, with loose bulk densities ranging from 442.9 to 543.1 kg m⁻³, comparable with commercially available expanded clay lightweight aggregates. Water absorption varied between 32.93% and 56.61%, with mixture composition explaining approximately 88% of the observed variance (one-way ANOVA, p < 0.001). Loss-on-ignition analysis revealed that bulky waste contained approximately 98.8 wt.% organic matter, confirming its effectiveness as a pore-forming additive during firing. Environmental assessment of the optimum mixture indicated limited mobility for most investigated heavy metals after thermal treatment; however, chromium leachability slightly exceeded the adopted reference value, indicating the need for further optimization of the ceramic composition. Overall, the developed lightweight aggregate represents a promising alternative to conventional lightweight aggregates and contributes to resource recovery, waste valorization, and the implementation of circular economy principles in the construction sector. Future research should focus on chromium speciation, mechanical performance, long-term durability, life cycle assessment, and pilot-scale production to support future industrial application.

Street sweeping waste (SSW) represents a heterogeneous urban material rich in road-deposited particles and associated contaminants, including heavy metals. Although SSW is generated systematically in all cities and constitutes a relevant indicator of diffuse urban pollution, research addressing its chemical composition, especially its temporal dynamics, remains limited. This study investigates the annual variability of total and leachable concentrations of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Cd) in SSW collected monthly over a one-year period in a medium-sized city. Total metal content was determined using aqua regia digestion, while leachability was assessed through standardized extraction tests. Statistical evaluation included correlation analysis, variability indices and assessment of metal mobility. Results confirm that both total and leachable metal concentrations exhibit distinct seasonal patterns, strongly influenced by traffic intensity, winter maintenance practices, and fluctuations in particle size distribution. Several metals demonstrated a high mobility factor, highlighting the potential environmental risk associated with their transport to urban soils and stormwater systems. The findings emphasize the necessity of incorporating temporal dynamics into SSW management strategies and demonstrate the importance of monitoring mobile metal fractions rather than relying solely on total concentrations. Due to the scarcity of annual-scale studies on SSW contamination, this research contributes novel insights into the environmental behavior of heavy metals in urban settings.

This study evaluates the effect of decorative ceramic screen printing on the optical and photovoltaic performance of glass covers intended for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Nine ceramic-printed glass samples with different colors and optical densities were compared with a 4 mm Optiwhite reference glass and a bare silicon solar cell. The samples were characterized by UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometry, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and electrical measurements under simulated AM 1.5G irradiation at 1000 W/m². The optical results showed that the Optiwhite reference provided the highest transmittance, whereas the printed samples exhibited lower transmission, typically in the range of 60–80% in the visible region, depending on the coating type. Among the decorative variants, sample 1 showed the highest transparency, while sample 6 exhibited the lowest transmittance. The spectral behavior of the coated glasses indicates that the ceramic layers modify the photon flux reaching the solar cell through wavelength-dependent absorption and scattering effects. The photovoltaic measurements confirmed a clear relationship between decorative coating and electrical performance. Relative to the Optiwhite-covered reference cell, the printed samples showed power losses ranging from approximately 17% to 32%, with sample 1 achieving the highest maximum power among the decorative variants at 1.41 W, and sample 4 the lowest at 1.16 W. The main electrical effect of the ceramic coatings was a reduction in short-circuit current, whereas the open-circuit voltage remained nearly constant across the tested samples. EDS analysis identified the presence of ceramic-layer constituents associated with silica-, zinc-, titanium-, iron-, cobalt-, aluminum-, and fluorine-containing compounds, supporting the interpretation of vitrified decorative coatings formed during high-temperature processing. Overall, the results demonstrate that decorative ceramic printing can provide a practical compromise between architectural appearance and photovoltaic output when the optical density of the coating is appropriately controlled.

Ion-exchange-strengthened 0.7 mm aluminosilicate glass offers a promising route to lightweight, mechanically robust front covers for building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) modules, but systematic characterization at sub-millimeter thicknesses remains limited. This study investigated 100 × 60 × 0.7 mm glass samples subjected to Na⁺/K⁺ ion exchange (6 h, 430 °C, KNO₃) and characterized mechanical and optical properties relevant to BIPV applications. Depth of layer (DOL) was cross-validated using three independent methods, mass gain diffusion modeling (31–37 μm), elasto-optic measurements (FSM-6000: 38–42 μm), and EDS Na/K depth profiling (35–40 μm), confirming consistent strengthened layer depth of 35–40 μm. Surface compressive stress measured 733 MPa (Series 2) and 773 MPa (Series 3), significantly exceeding conventional PV cover glass (490–515 MPa, 1 mm thickness). Vickers hardness increased by 17.7% (490 → 596 HV, p < 0.0001), demonstrating enhanced damage tolerance. Spectrophotometric analysis (200–2400 nm) showed transmittance >91% (380–2000 nm) and >92% (600–2000 nm) for both as-received and strengthened glass, confirming no optical degradation (p = 0.29–0.41). The 78–83% mass reduction relative to standard 3.2–4 mm glass, combined with superior CS/DOL and preserved optical performance, establishes ion-exchanged 0.7 mm aluminosilicate glass as a strong material-level candidate for next-generation lightweight BIPV modules. Future work requires module-scale mechanical validation (bending, impact testing per EN/IEC standards) and techno-economic assessment to verify system-level benefits.

Street sweepings represent a heterogeneous and seasonally variable mixture of mineral, organic and anthropogenic particles. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of fine fractions (<10 mm) collected in different seasons using a multi-analytical approach: sieving, Morphologi G3S, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and SEM-BSE imaging. Spring samples exhibited a clear dominance of large, angular mineral grains derived from pavement degradation, while summer and autumn samples contained higher proportions of rounded particles, indicating increased contributions from tyre wear, corrosion products and secondary urban aerosols. Morphological parameters (AR, circularity) confirmed substantial seasonal shifts in particle structure, strongly influencing their transportability and emission potential. DLS revealed the presence of nanofractions (<200 nm), suggesting high environmental mobility and relevance for risk assessment. SEM-BSE imaging confirmed notable differences in microstructure between seasons, particularly in edge sharpness, agglomeration and the presence of surface coatings. These findings highlight the environmental significance of fine fractions and offer essential insights for circular resource recovery, indicating that <10 mm fractions should be prioritised in designing sustainable utilization pathways. The results contribute directly to circular economy strategies by identifying which fractions pose the greatest environmental burden and which retain material recovery potential.

The rapid expansion of solar energy requires effective end-of-life (EoL) management of photovoltaic (PV) modules, with global waste projected to reach 78 million tons by 2050. High-purity recovery of silicon and glass is hindered by strong interfacial adhesion of the ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) encapsulant. This study evaluates contaminant profiles of PV components—glass, silicon cells, busbars, and backsheets—after lamination, thermal delamination, and accelerated aging simulating 5–20 years of operation. FTIR, EDS, and optical microscopy revealed that silicon cells retain the highest organic residues, while glass and busbars show minimal contamination, supporting high-purity mechanical recovery. Accelerated aging promoted EVA delamination, reducing organic residues in 20-year equivalent samples. Additionally, 20 nm aluminum PVD coatings decreased EVA adhesion, facilitating separation. These findings link aging-induced degradation with contaminant evolution and support optimized recycling strategies for circular PV material recovery.

The rapid expansion of solar energy requires effective end-of-life (EoL) management of photovoltaic (PV) modules, with global waste projected to reach 78 million tons by 2050. High-purity recovery of silicon and glass is hindered by strong interfacial adhesion of the ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) encapsulant. This study evaluates contaminant profiles of PV components—glass, silicon cells, busbars, and backsheets—after lamination, thermal delamination, and accelerated aging simulating 5–20 years of operation. FTIR, EDS, and optical microscopy revealed that silicon cells retain the highest organic residues, while glass and busbars show minimal contamination, supporting high-purity mechanical recovery. Accelerated aging promoted EVA delamination, reducing organic residues in 20-year equivalent samples. Additionally, 20 nm aluminum PVD coatings decreased EVA adhesion, facilitating separation. These findings link aging-induced degradation with contaminant evolution and support optimized recycling strategies for circular PV material recovery.

In this work an effective method of quantum dots (QDs) deposition on conductive material covered by thin film of TiO2 on glass surface is presented. Using spin coating with different process parameter (time, rotational speed) easily one can control thickness and quality of QDs layer. In presented...