Medical waste conversion to pyrolysis oil and biochar through co-pyrolysis

The growing accumulation of medical waste, such as nitrile gloves (NG) and tissue paper (TP), presents pressing environmental challenges due to limited sustainable disposal options. This study investigates the co-pyrolysis of NG and TP as an effective waste-to-energy approach for producing high-value pyrolysis oil and biochar. Experimental investigations were performed using a fixed-bed reactor under an inert nitrogen atmosphere, with varying NG-to-TP blending ratios. Proximate and elemental analyses revealed NG’s hydrocarbon-rich composition (C: 74.09%, H: 8.5%) and TP’s high oxygen content (52.09%), supporting their complementary characteristic. The highest pyrolysis oil yield of 36.8 wt.% was achieved at a 7NG3TP ratio, with an enhanced calorific value of 25.28 MJ kg -1 . GC-MS analysis identified valuable aromatic hydrocarbons in the pyrolysis oil. The resulting biochar exhibited high carbon and nitrogen content, improved crystallinity, and greater porosity, indicating potential for use in catalysis, adsorption, and soil amendment. FTIR confirmed the presence of nitrile and polysaccharide functional groups, while XRD and SEM analyses showed crystalline, smooth NG-rich biochar and amorphous, porous TP-rich biochar. Overall, this work highlights the synergistic effects of co-pyrolysis between soft polymers and lignocellulosic waste, offering an efficient and sustainable pathway for converting medical waste into high-value energy products. • Co-pyrolysis of nitrile gloves (NG) and tissue paper (TP) was performed. • The bio-oil yield achieved the maximum value at 7NG3TP ratio (36.8 wt.%). • GC-MS analysis highlighted industrially valuable compounds. • The co-pyrolysis biochar has lower ash contents (5 – 6%).