PEF/PET-starch hydrogels from recycled sources for shrimp farm’s wastewater treatment

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most commonly used polymers globally. The transition from PET to recycled PET (rPET) has significantly reduced carbon footprints, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by up to 55% and saving substantial energy annually. A new, fully plant‐based alternative, polyethylene 2,5‐furanoate (PEF), is produced from plantMEG and FDCA. Beyond sustainability, PEF offers enhanced properties like improved shelf life, reduced weight, and greater heat resistance, making it a strong candidate to replace PET in various applications. - Early waste management projects are vital for transforming future PEF/PET waste into value‐added materials. - Create PEF/PET‐based hydrogels for treating wastewater from the tie‐dyed fabric industry, shrimp farming, and aquaculture. - Hydrogels can address global wastewater issues and are reusable if desorption is effective. - Insights from Thai shrimp farming could benefit Swiss shrimp farming, potentially fostering international synergy. The first step is depolymerizing PET, followed by a second step involving the crosslinking with various reactants. Different conditions are investigated and optimized to obtain oligomers at low reaction temperatures, short reaction times and high product yields. Mixtures with starch and PVOH were carried out.