Ahmad Muhammad Salman, Ahmad Muhammad Nauman, Muhammad Tufail, Khan Muhammad Jalal, Jabbir Farwa, Alghamdi Saleh A, Alhomrani Majid, Alamri Abdulhakeem S, Shah Shahen
School of Economics and Management, Yango University, Fuzhou, 350015, Fujian, China.
Department of Agricultural Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Agriculture, Peshawar, 25130, Pakistan.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 2;15(1):22741. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-07948-w.
The construction industry in South Asia, heavily reliant on coal-fired brick kilns, significantly contributes to environmental pollution, impacting public health and agricultural productivity. In Pakistan, brick kilns consume over 50% of the nation's coal, often using low-quality coal and waste materials that emit harmful pollutants such as CO, SO, particulate matter (PM), and hydrogen fluoride (HF). This study explores sustainable brick production by incorporating agricultural by-products, specifically the invasive weed Parthenium hysterophorus L., as an additive to clay. The integration of 15-20% Parthenium biomass by weight resulted in bricks with enhanced porosity (up to 64% at 50% biomass addition) and reduced density, lowering energy consumption during firing by approximately 15-20% while maintaining compressive strength within acceptable limits (15-20 MPa). Additionally, this approach reduced HF emissions by over 50% during the firing process, mitigating adverse effects on nearby vegetation. Conversations with 50 brick kiln owners in Peshawar revealed enthusiasm for adopting this method, contingent on cost reductions (potentially 10-15% lower production costs) and government-supported pilot projects. This research aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for sustainable cities (SDG 11), responsible consumption (SDG 12), and climate action (SDG 13), promoting a circular green economy. Policy interventions, including subsidies, training workshops, and awareness campaigns, are recommended to facilitate adoption, benefiting local communities and the environment. Future studies should investigate the scalability and adaptability of this approach across diverse regions and manufacturing sectors.
南亚的建筑业严重依赖燃煤砖窑，对环境污染有重大影响，进而影响公众健康和农业生产力。在巴基斯坦，砖窑消耗了该国超过50%的煤炭，经常使用劣质煤和废料，这些会排放一氧化碳、二氧化硫、颗粒物（PM）和氟化氢（HF）等有害污染物。本研究探索通过将农业副产品，特别是入侵杂草银胶菊作为粘土添加剂来实现可持续砖生产。按重量整合15% - 20%的银胶菊生物质，制成的砖孔隙率提高（添加50%生物质时孔隙率高达64%）且密度降低，烧制过程中的能源消耗降低约15% - 20%，同时抗压强度保持在可接受范围内（15 - 20兆帕）。此外，这种方法在烧制过程中将氟化氢排放量减少了50%以上，减轻了对附近植被的不利影响。与白沙瓦50位砖窑业主的交谈表明，他们对采用这种方法很感兴趣，但前提是成本降低（生产成本可能降低10% - 15%）以及有政府支持的试点项目。这项研究符合联合国可持续发展目标（SDG）中关于可持续城市（SDG 11）、负责任消费（SDG 12）和气候行动（SDG 13）的要求，促进了循环绿色经济。建议采取政策干预措施，包括补贴、培训讲习班和宣传活动，以促进该方法的采用，使当地社区和环境受益。未来的研究应调查这种方法在不同地区和制造业部门的可扩展性和适应性。
