China scientists find use for cigarette butts!! (good for the whole world)

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Chemical extracts from cigarette butts -- so toxic they kill fish -- can be used to protect steel pipes from rusting, a study in China has found

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In a paper published in the American Chemical Society's bi-weekly journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, the scientists in China said they identified nine chemicals after immersing cigarette butts in water. They applied the extracts to N80, a type of steel used in oil pipes, and found that they protected the steel from rusting. "The metal surface can be protected and the iron atom's further dissolution can be prevented," they wrote. The chemicals, including nicotine, appear to be responsible for this anti-corrosion effect, they added.

Corrosion of steel pipes used by the oil industry costs oil producers millions of dollars annually to repair or replace. According to the paper, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts find their way into the environment each year. Apart from being an eyesore, they contain toxins that can kill fish. "Recycling could solve those problems, but finding practical uses for cigarette butts has been difficult," the researchers wrote.

Source: news.yahoo.com...


Well, somebody has their thinking cap on. Way to go. I hope this works and can be utilized on a massive and global scale. I don't know about you BUTT I hate seeing cigarette butts all over the place.

I think if we can make it worth the smokers, the butts could become a big thing-and profitable. See, another reason to smoke (as someone close to me will say, I am sure)!

I was taken back by the numbers. When I started looking around for additional info, I saw this graphic about the Aussie numbers. Then multiply that from around the world-Staggering.

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[edit on 5/14/2010 by anon72]

reply to post by anon72


Im doing my part in helping supply them with fresh cigg butts. It a rough job butt someones got to do it.

MessOnTheFED!

Edit: Feel free to address me as HERO now.

[edit on 14-5-2010 by MessOnTheFED!]

Originally posted by MessOnTheFED!
reply to post by anon72

 

Im doing my part in helping supply them with fresh cigg butts. It a rough job butt someones got to do it.

MessOnTheFED!

Edit: Feel free to address me as HERO now.

[edit on 14-5-2010 by MessOnTheFED!]

Ah, I'm 2 months into quitting. I'm a failed hero, turned super villain!

reply to post by nik1halo


You have klet your country down. LMAO!!!

MessOnTheFED!

At least I know my inner pipes are not rusting

Gonna quit though,lol

reply to post by anon72


That's it by God, the Chinese have rescued the Gulf. Plug the Gulf leak with cigarette butts. It's so simple it's Genius!

On topic. It is an interesting article but saving the OIL industry millions of dollars isn't really something I want to hear about at the moment. Yes I can see that at least some people are thinking outside the pack I mean box.

reply to post by anon72

I'm glad they found a use but we have yet to see how practical it will be (economically, technically, etc).

By the way I used to smoke but I made it a point to collect my butts and at least put them in the trash, but unfortunately so many smokers seem to not do this. My biggest pet peeve is smokers in cars which I know have ash trays, don't use the ash trays and instead flick the butts out the car window. This is socially irresponsible when they have an ashtray right there in the car!

So let's find uses for the butts like this one or something else, and enlist the help of smokers and everyone else to reduce the littering of butts.

Well, I got to thinking: Down the road useage.

Then I thought about Alien UFO craft. They don't seem to rust or suffer any effects from weather or atmospheric conditions. Maybe they developed some chemical process that allowed them to have such tech.

But, they have had it for 1000's of years etc- That concept and apparent good things it may do for metal, just may be the start of our Space Metals future?

Only one problem. Most smokers are selfish and think nothing of littering. I bet not one smoker can come on here and say they have not just thrown their butts onto the ground where they stand.

You cant even get them to think of their own health let alone the planets health.

IF you can get them before the bums downtown do..
hahaha