Personal statement

Gordon Ho

Gordon is an undergraduate in Singapore Institute Of Technology (SIT) and had four years of civil engineering experience. He previously interned at Samwoh Corporation Pte Ltd for four months, researching about recycled concrete aggregates. With his experience, he has the essential knowledge pertaining to concrete for the current project that the group is working on.

Executive summary

Executive Summary

This proposal describes a research project carried out by the team in response to a call for an engineering problem-solution proposals. In this proposal, the project team outlines the challenges faced when the SIT@Dover population walks along the sheltered walkways around campus when it rains heavily. As conventional concrete is currently implemented along those walkways, it results in ponding and the chances of a slip and fall incident. This is due to the nature of regular concrete as it is known to be impermeable. Students and faculties will tend to find it inconvenient to walk across and as a result, they will try to find an alternative way out of the school, or even stay back for a few hours just so that the ponding along the walkway will hopefully decrease.

The aim of this report is to propose to SIT's division of estate the implementation of pervious concrete along the mentioned walkway. By incorporating this idea, the SIT division of estates will reduce stormwater seepage through the pervious concrete. Additionally, the chances of a slip and fall incident can be greatly abbreviated. The proposal will include benefits and limitations of this suggested modification. The objective of this proposed solution is to achieve a greater sense of safety and convenience for the SIT population.

Transmittal Letter

Transmittal Letter

March 8, 2018

From: Colin Tan

To: SIT Division of Estate

Cc: Brad Blackstone

Re: Proposal For Implementing Pervious Concrete Along Sheltered Walkways in SIT@Dover

Dear Sir/Madam,

Enclosed for your kind consideration is the following proposal for the improvement of the walkways in SIT@Dover. This report has been prepared with the intention of enhancing the safety of the community as requested. Slip and fall in SIT@Dover campus are prone to happen due to the slippery walkways. To address this issue, the team has proposed a reasonable solution for this problem to ensure safety of the campus population.

Attached is our proposal to achieve the aforementioned goal. This report contains the current situation and its probable causes, our investigation of the situation through surveys and observations, and also our proposed solution to address the situation with technical details and comparisons.

We would like to express our gratitude to you for taking the time to read this proposal. Your consideration of our suggestions in enhancing the safety of the community in the school is greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Colin Tan

On behalf of SIT FC

Civil Engineering Programme

Singapore Institute of Technology

Reader's Response Final Draft

In the article ‘Duo turn plastic waste into a concrete idea,’ Goy (2016) states that BlueRen scientists and co-founders, Wong Chui Ling and Aravind Muthiah, have discovered an environmentally friendly method to convert plastic waste into carbon nanotubes by using different minerals as a catalyst during recycling. This is important as in 2014 alone, 869 000 tonnes of plastic waste was produced in Singapore but only 9% of it was recycled. This figure has been unchanged since 2001 according to Goy, and BlueRen’s approach has resulted in a 10% yield. Apart from that, these nanotubes are lightweight yet durable so nanotubes could be used as an additive in concrete making. Nanotubes helps to strengthen the concrete thus reducing the use of cement by 30%. The article quotes Aravind, who believes that this is what makes BlueRen unique as the“technology is about upcycling and converts plastic waste into high-value products."

I agree with Goy's point of view on the advantage of converting plastic waste into a high-value product to reduce the use of concrete. However, I think that the article is lacking in term of the negative health issues of using carbon nanotube and plastic recycling.

According to Doreen (2011), carbon nanotubes are stronger than steel, harder than diamond, as light as plastic. However, there are a lot of effects of the nanotubes on the environment that are unknown to the Earth. Firstly, it has shown that nanotubes are toxic to the human cell. Nanotubes can kill the cells easily. Also, carbon nanotubes have a similar effect as asbestos. Asbestos has been banned in 55 countries worldwide due to its harmful properties on humans. Before the ban, asbestos had been used to strengthen concrete and to insulate buildings. Thus, it would be dangerous for carbon nanotube to replace 30% of cement when the effect on humans is that severe. Kobayashi, Izumi, and Morimoto (2017) state that carbon nanotubes are causing an adverse health effect. It is especially true for human exposure through inhalation and dermal contact during manufacturing and handling process. The exposure to carbon nanotubes will "induce inflammation, fibrosis, lung cancer following long-term inhalation." Kobayashi, Izumi, and Morimoto also observed that long and thin carbon nanotubes resemble and function like asbestos fiber. Asbestos fibers are so harmful because they are so tiny that they can penetrate deep into the lungs yet taking way to long for the body's immune system to destroy it. The carbon nanotubes will line the victim's lungs causing fatal cancer which can take 30 to 40 years to surface after exposure. Therefore, it would be akin to killing the operators that are handling the carbon nanotube when mixing it with the cement.

According to Soffar (2016), plastic recycling can create environmental problems if it is not done right. When plastic is being recycled, heat is required to melt it down. The process of burning the plastic produces carbon emissions. One of the phenomena that contribute to the global warming in the planet is carbon emission This is because global warming will cause poor air quality due to the volatile organic compounds tainting it.. Also, volatile organic compounds are being discharged during plastic recycling. Volatile organic compounds are harmful to nearby animals and plants. Volatile organic compounds also presents health risks to people that use the recycled plastic as the plastic resin is made from petroleum. Therefore, leaching into food that is packaged in the containers.

In conclusion, before it is too late to flag out potential dangers of the nanotube, there is a pressing necessity to examine how carbon nanotubes are being used and see if there is any chance that people are being exposed to the dangerous material to reduce the amount of health hazard that it poses to the humans’ health.

Reference

Dooren, J. V. (2012, September 5). Carbon nanotubes have unexpected negative impact on environment. Bits of Science. Retrieved February 04, 2018, from http://www.bitsofscience.org/carbon-nanotube-environment-toxicity-4038/

Greenermeier. L. (2008, May 20). Study says carbon nanotubes as dangerous as asbestos . Scientific American. Retrieved February 04, 2018 from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/carbon-nanotube-danger/

Kobayashi. N., Izumi. H., & Morimoto. Y, (2017, August 8). Review of toxicity studies of carbon nanotubes. Retrieved February 04, 2018 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28794394

Luanpitpong. S., Wang. L., & Rojanasakul. Y. (2016, January 12). The effects of carbon nanotubes on lung and dermal cellular behaviours. Retrieved February 04, 2018 fromhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4710349/

Soffar. H. (2016, July 27). Plastic recycling advantages and disadvantages. Online Sciences. Retrieved February 04, 2018 from https://www.online-sciences.com/industries/plastic-recycling-advantages-and-disadvantages/

Critical Reflections

After going through effective communication, I have learned to overcome my weakness of writing my thoughts on paper. I was able to properly finish writing letters and reports by the end of the module. Also, this module had helped me improve my writing skill greatly and I was also able to present rather confidently. However, I feel that I can still work on my presentation skill as it was not up to the standard that I feel that I should be exhibiting. The reliance of memorizing the script that I had crafted is the reason why my presentation did not go as well as I wanted it to go. The most important aspect about presentation is to be very knowledgeable about what you and your group mate is presenting.

I will focus on my presentation experience to be critically reflected. I feel that I was not very prepared for the presentation. I learned that by having a nicely crafted script for my presentation is not going to help me out. It was the very reason why I did not do well. So, I will unlearn the fact that memorizing a script is the correct technique for presenting. I have relearned that the most important thing in a presentation is that you should know what you are going to present. That is the only way to present as you would not be afraid of forgetting your script and breaking the flow of your presentation. This had helped me to become a better presenter.


Read and Comment:
Shih Chieh
Ziq
Wei Ming

Final Technical Report draft #1

Background

According to the article “Climate of Singapore,” Singapore is situated near the equator and has a typically tropical climate, with abundant rainfall, high and uniform temperatures, and high humidity all year round. Through the recent years, Singapore has been facing flooding issues occasionally due to the increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and the outdated stormwater management system. As a result, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) faces similar flooding issues whenever there are heavy recurring rains. Currently, there is a lack of implementation of anti-slip pathways to facilitate SIT’s population under these heavy downpour circumstances based on observations and personal experiences. This results in many instances whereby slip and fall are prone to happen. Also, with the pavements being impermeable, flooding and “ponding” are bound to occur when it rains and this causes inconveniences for SIT’s population as footwears and clothes get drenched.

When a Slip and fall incident occur on a property (or "premises") owned or maintained by someone else, the property owner may be held legally responsible (“Slip and Fall Accidents Overview,” n.d.). There were actual cases whereby a slip and fall incident has resulted to the victim filing a lawsuit against the property owner. According to an article from The New Paper, a man slipped and fell at a sheltered walkway and as a result, suing the town council after he became paralysed due to the fall. Ultimately, as a technical educational institute, a slip and fall incident is certainly an issue that SIT would want to prevent.

Being the fifth autonomous university in Singapore, there are numerous reputable stakeholders that visits SIT for seminars/talks. When these stakeholders visit the school, they will walk along the aforementioned sheltered walkway and when it rains and starts “ponding”, it will leave a negative first impression about the school. This is mainly because the walkway is outdated as these “ponding” occurs due to the usage of impermeable concrete, and the poor drainage system. As a result, SIT’s reputation may be affected as these types of safety precautions should never be overlooked.

Problem statement

In order to prevent slip and fall incident from happening in SIT@Dover, installing anti-slip pathways will mitigate ‘ponding’ or flooding whenever it rains. However, there is a lack of implementation of anti-slip pathways to facilitate SIT’s population under heavy downpour circumstances. This results in various instances where slip and fall are prone to happen. Implementing the use of pervious and anti-slip pathways will therefore reduce inconvenience to users as it mitigates ponding when it rains heavily in SIT.

Purpose statement

The aim of this report is to propose to SIT’s division of estates the implementation of pervious pathways along 3 flood prone areas around the campus in order to create a safer environment for the community. The 3 areas that will be focused on are, front and back gate sheltered walkway, and the walkway that leads towards the University Services Centre from the back-gate entrance.

Proposed Solution

The team has proposed a solution whereby pervious anti-slip pathways are to be implemented along the previously mentioned areas. These areas were chosen as they are prone to “ponding” especially during heavy recurring rains which happens frequently these days.

Pervious concrete pavement is a unique and effective means to address important environmental issues and support green, sustainable growth. By capturing stormwater and allowing it to seep into the ground, pervious concrete is instrumental in recharging groundwater. Pervious or permeable pathways differs from traditional pathway as it allows water to infiltrate through the surface, thus preventing “ponding.” How this is achieved is by using pervious concrete instead of ordinary concrete. A pervious concrete mixture contains little or no sand, creating a substantial void content. Using sufficient paste to coat and bind the aggregate particles together creates a system of highly permeable, interconnected voids that drains quickly. Typically, between 15% and 25% voids are achieved in the hardened concrete (Pervious Concrete Pavement, 2011). When concrete is manufactured, the amount of water used in the mix is crucial. Water to cement (w/c) ratio is used to determine the amount of water and cement accordingly. Ordinary concrete typically has a w/c of 0.6 to 0.7 whereas pervious concrete has a ratio of 0.28 to 0.4. The lower the w/c means the mix is more ‘dry’ therefore creating more voids for water to seep through.

As the current material used along the walkways are regular cement, the replacement of porous anti-slip pathway will now enable storm water to be absorbed into the collecting basins underneath. By reducing ponding on the surface and having anti-slip tiles, it creates a much safer walking area as more friction are present. This can therefore decrease the likelihood of a slip and fall incident from occurring.

In order to ensure that this proposed solution can be implemented in an effective manner, the walkway connecting University Service Centre (USC) to the back gate will be taken as the “controlled” factor such that it will be the proposed location for this project. This is so that SIT’s division of estates are assured that the area that is first considered as a “prototype”, is fully located in SIT@Dover’s campus. Concerning the fact that this project may cause obstructions to students as it may be inconvenient to travel from one location to another, this project is to be reconstructed over the trimester break, whereby there will not be as many students and faculties around, so as to minimise the amount of inconvenience caused.

Potential Solutions

Besides incorporating pervious concrete in order to overcome the ponding issue, there are various other potential solutions that can be considered. Such examples includes the gradient of the the slope, whereby a pathway is generated for water to flow into the nearby drains. Alternatively, the method of stamping on existing concrete in order to create friction, may also be an idea that can be studied to further improve the use of pervious concrete.

The slope of the pavement plays a major role in the current issue of flooding. Based on the article, “Flooded Basement? How to Deal with Common Causes,” it stated that one of the causes of flooding is due to pavement slope. The article also mentioned that the pavement would settle overtime and that would affect the gradient and direction of the pathway. If that happens, the solution is to remove and replace the pavement so that it will slope to another direction. Creating a slope in the opposite direction helps with the flooding as a pathway has been generated for the stormwater runoff to be directed towards an area such as a patch of grass, or an open space that is not prone to flooding. By doing so, the pavement would be kept dry and people would not have a hard time trying to walk as slowly as possible to avoid splashing of muddy or dirty runoff on their shoes or pants. The cost of changing the slope of the pavement is relatively cheap as it can be hack away and then recast concrete on it. However, the process of changing the slope would affect the community as they are unable to travel along the pavement when it is being reconstructed.

Stamped concrete is another alternative that could be implemented. It is basically a patterned and/or textured concrete to look like a brick, wood or any texture desired. This method is cheap and has the least maintenance compared to the rest. Apart from that, ease of installation is also an advantage for this method. It is also longer lasting than most of the other alternatives. However, durability is an issue as it has low durability compared to other surfaces and methods. This is a good method for creating customize looks for patio, pool side tiles or even backyard as it focuses more on aesthetic rather than solving the issue at hand.

Another simple alternative would be to introduce a drainage system along the pathways mentioned.Currently, there are no visible drains along these troubled pathways which could be the main contributing factor to these ‘ponding’ issues.

Benefits

The team’s main priority for proposing this project is the safety of the SIT community. There are various advantages when it comes to using pervious concrete. Firstly, such advantages includes the environmental benefits. When it comes to providing benefits to the environment, pervious concrete are able to eliminate runoff, recharge groundwater, and even eliminate the need for retention basins and water collection areas. Not only that, suspended solids and pollutants will be trapped within the pervious concrete, therefore reducing the chances of “ponding.”

Secondly, another advantage when it comes to using pervious concrete, is the financial benefits. The implementation of pervious concrete eliminates the costs for retention basins, curbs, gutters, and other water collection installations. It also provides lower installation costs as no underground piping, storm drains, or sloping/grading are needed. The low life-cycle costs of pervious concrete can be compared with regular concrete such that it has an equal life expectancy to that of regular concrete: 20 to 40 years when correctly installed.

Lastly, the anti slip tiles would provide the necessary friction needed to prevent users from slipping especially during heavy rains and thus reducing the inconvenience experienced amongst the users now.

With all these benefits in mind, SIT’s division of estates can certainly reap the benefits. Instead of utilizing the ordinary concrete when developing a walkway, executing the use of pervious concrete in a college campus will certainly have a positive impact on the school's image. Besides that, external stakeholders such as Land Transport Authority (LTA) may also incorporate this idea along the sheltered walkway from the back gate bus stop to the entrance of the campus. Especially, considering the fact that flooding always occur at that area whenever there is heavy rain. By incorporating the use of pervious pathway, this recurring issue will definitely be solved.

Evaluation

Though there are various benefits to using pervious concrete, there are certain restrictions and doubts that comes from this proposed idea.  

A pervious pavement project should be properly designed to accommodate the amount of stormwater runoff that is expected in the area. If not adequately designed, the water table below the pavement can rise, preventing stormwater from being absorbed into the ground. Certain types of pervious pavements require frequent maintenance due to the possibility that solids and particles may get trapped and clog pavement pores. If the proper “vacuuming” or flushing is not carried out, pervious concrete will assume the traits of impervious concrete. While it is estimated that porous concrete can be two to three times more expensive than regular asphalt or concrete, cost savings are simultaneously achieved as stormwater installations are not necessary.

Besides that, the team also went ahead to interview a fellow lecturer atSIT@Dover, Dr Feijin, who specialises in concrete materials and design. He mentioned that because pervious concrete has such a high void content and its overall strength is generally lower than that of regular concrete, it is not recommended on heavy loading areas. In view that this project is to be implemented along the sheltered walkway leading towards USC from the back gate, utilizing pervious concrete at this area seems to be the best choice as this part of the school is not a place where heavy loadings are applied.

Apart from interviewing Dr Feijin, the team has also gathered relevant facts regarding the usage of pervious concrete from a professional engineer over at an engineering company called SamWoh Corporation Pte Ltd which is one of the leading companies that specialises in ready-mix concrete. They explained that although pervious concrete has its advantages, one of the main drawback of using it widely is the maintenance. As mentioned in the article “Permeable Pavement: The Pros and Cons You Need to Know,” The concrete is prone to clogging if the water in the reservoir is not drained out properly. As a result, an industrial vacuum would be needed to unclog the sand and fine particles that clogs the voids. If this was not done properly, water would starts to ‘pond’ on the surface, defeating the whole idea of reducing ‘ponding’ occurrence.

Replacing the current concrete to the pervious ones would definitely not be a simple process. It would require the pathway to be blocked off for construction works to be done. A temporary pathway wont then need to be constructed to allow pedestrian to move along the back gate and USC while construction is done along the pathway.

Methods/Procedure

In order to ensure sufficient knowledge is gained before implementing the use of pervious concrete, various research were done initially to ensure the team has an in depth understanding when it comes to the laws here in Singapore. To narrow down the research, the team decided to search on the guidelines provided by Building Construction Authority (BCA) regarding floor surfaces, standard measurements in Singapore when it comes to how smooth or rough the floor can be, and statistics on the number of people that experienced a “slip and fall” incident.

According to the guidelines provided by (BCA), it is stated on the code of accessibility, “In The Built Environment 2007,” floor surfaces shall –
(a) be stable, firm, level and slip-resistant;
(b) not have any projection, drop or unexpected variation in level;
(c) have colour and tone that are contrasting with the walls, otherwise the skirting must provide a clear distinction between the floor and wall; and
(d) Where there is a change in level, contrasting colour bands are to be provided to alert the users of the change in level.

The guideline also provided grading of the slip resistance of some of the typical materials used for floor finishes. Attached as Appendix B.

According to the quality standard of floors provided by BCA (BCA: Quality standards , 2009), the standard measurements in Singapore when it comes to how smooth or rough the floor can be, are as follows:

• Finishing
•  

·        No stain marks

·         

·        Consistent colour tone

·         

• Alignments & Evenness
•  

·        Evenness of surface (not more than 3mm per 1.2m)

·         

·        No ponding in falls for wet area

·         

·        Falls in wet areas should be in right direction

·         

• Crack and Damages
•  

·        No visible damage/effect

·         

• Hollowness/Delamination
•  

·        No hollow sound when tapped with hard object (for Ceramic, Marble & Granite only)

·         

·        No sign of delamination

·         

• Jointing
•  

·        Consistent skirting thickness and no visible gap between wall and skirting

·         

According to the website from WSH Council, it is stated that slips, trips and falls (STF) are the most common causes of injuries in workplaces. STF injuries contributed to more than 20% of all workplace injuries and hurt more than 1,000 employees every year. Besides sprains and strains, STF can also cause more serious injuries like fractures and head injuries.

Slip, Trip and Fall Hazards

Examples of factors that may increase STF risks include:

• Insufficient lighting;
•  
• Poor housekeeping;
•  
• Wet and slippery floor and surfaces;
•  
• Lack of handrails on platforms or staircases;
•  
• Unsafe use of ladders;
•  
• Uneven walking surfaces
•  

Apart from conducting research on the guidelines from BCA, a survey was conducted around SIT@Dover campus to find out what the students and faculties experience when they walk along the mentioned sheltered walkways whenever it rains. Each of the project members were given a task to survey 3 people each so as to get sufficient data to prove that this is a ongoing problem in SIT@Dover. In order to ensure that the survey is not biased, members of the community were also considered as part of the subject for the survey besides students. The questions asked and the results collected are as follows:

Question 1: Have you ever slipped/fell along the pathway connecting USC and the back gate?

Results: Out of 12 people we surveyed in total, 9 of them said yes.

Question 2: On a scale of one to ten, how safe do you feel walking along that pathway when it rains heavily? (1 = Safe, 10 = Unsafe)

Results: The average number we gathered from the same 12 people is about 7.

Question 3: On a scale 1 to 10, How convenient is it to walk along that pathway when it rains heavily? Etc getting drenched, slipping. (1 = Very convenient, 10 = Inconvenient)

Results: The average number gathered is about 8.

Based on the results gathered, it can be concluded that most of the SIT@Dover population agrees with this hypothesis. Given that, reputable sources were interviewed to ensure the proposed solution is doable and feasible.

As such, the team interviewed a fellow lecturer, Dr Feijin, who has a phd on concrete materials to provide insights of pervious concrete. The main question directed to him was regarding the fact that if pervious concrete costs cheaper than regular concrete. He responded by stating that pervious concrete has been in placed in many parts of the world now. It is a tested method to reduce “ponding” issues. However, it has lower strength compared to regular concrete due to its increase in void spaces that allows water to seep through it. Nonetheless, it has more than enough strength to withstand the load.

Apart from that, we also manage to interview the manager of SamWoh while on our learning journey. He gave similar insights about pervious concrete as Dr Feijin did with an additional comment stating that the maintenance is the main drawback for pervious pathways to be used regularly.

Concluding Statement

In conclusion, the main takeaway from this proposal is the safety of the SIT@Dover population. Replacing the current traditional concrete to pervious concrete should be implemented in order to achieve the safety desired. Every method and/or solution has its disadvantages and that goes the same for pervious concrete as maintenance is the main drawback for pervious concrete to not be implemented widely. Apart from that, comparing to regular concrete, pervious concrete cost higher due to its specific w/c ratio to achieve the porosity. However, change has always been expensive but change has to be looked at as a long term investment as evident from changing normal lights to light emitting diodes (LED). According to the article “Out with fluorescent garage lights, in with LEDs,”  A “normal” 48″ fluorescent tube light is around $6 or $7 per light. While the LED bulbs are more expensive by a mere $3 difference, it isn’t much at all given the lower energy usage and long life. Change does not happen overnight and most people resist to change due to precontemplation. The constant denying of the problem at hand is the main reason change has been neglected for the most part.

On the other hand, some of the benefits porous concrete brings includes environmental benefits. It mimics the drainage and filtration of natural soils hence the storm water collected at its basins are cleaner than those usually collected by using rains. Another important factor it brings is financial benefits for developers. It eliminates the need for the costly stormwater detention vaults and piping systems as the pathway itself is a detention area and also the cost of curb and gutter installation. In summary, using pervious concrete would definitely have more benefits in the future economically and environmentally.

Just to add on, when the trial of these pervious anti-slip concrete is successful, other campuses in Singapore could also adopt these similar changes to further improve the safety of its campus population.  Not only that, the future SIT campus at Punggol could also use these pervious anti-slip concrete as not only it improves safety, it also allows the developers of that campus to have more space for construction as pervious pathways will removes the need for drains, piping and collection basin needed for traditional pathways

Reader Response, Draft 2

In the article ‘Duo turn plastic waste into a concrete idea,’ Goy (2016) states that BlueRen scientists and co-founders, Wong Chui Ling and Aravind Muthiah, have discovered an environmentally friendly method to convert plastic waste into carbon nanotubes by using different mineral as a catalyst during recycling. This is important as in 2014 alone, 869 000 tonnes of plastic waste were produced but only 9% of it was recycled. This figure has been unchanged since 2001 and BlueRen’s approach has resulted in a 10% yield. Apart from that, these nanotubes are lightweight yet durable, so it could be used as an additive in concrete making. It helps to strengthen the concrete thus reducing the use of cement by 30%. The article quotes Aravind, who believes that this is what makes BlueRen unique as their “technology is about upcycling and converts plastic waste into high-value products."

I agree with the Goy's point of view on the advantage of converting plastic waste into a high-value product to reduce the use of concrete. However, I feel the article is lacking in term of the many negative health impacts of using carbon nanotube and plastic recycling.

Yes, carbon nanotubes are stronger than steel, harder than diamond, as light as plastic. However, there are a lot of effects of the nanotubes on the environment that are alien to us. Firstly, according to Dooren (2011), it has shown that nanotubes are toxic to the human cell. It has the "same effect on them as a spear has on a game." Also, carbon nanotubes have a similar effect as asbestos. Asbestos has been banned in 55 countries worldwide due to its harmful properties on humans. Before the ban, asbestos has been used to strengthen concrete and to insulate buildings. Thus, it would be dangerous for carbon nanotube to replace 30% of cement when the effect on human is that severe.

Secondly, Kobayashi, Izumi and Morimoto (2017) state that carbon nanotube would cause an adverse health effect. It is especially true for human exposure through inhalation and dermal contact during manufacturing and handling process. The exposure to carbon nanotubes will "induce inflammation, fibrosis, lung cancer following long-term inhalation." It is also observed that long and thin carbon nanotubes resemble and function like asbestos fiber. Asbestos fibers are so harmful because they are so tiny that they can penetrate deep into the lungs yet taking way to long for the body's immune system to destroy it. The carbon nanotubes will line the victim's lungs causing fatal cancer which can take 30 to 40 years to surface after exposure. So, it would be akin to killing the operators that are handling the carbon nanotube when mixing it with the cement.

Lastly, according to Soffar (2016), plastic recycling can create environmental problems if it is not done right. When plastic is being recycled, heat is required to melt it down. The process of burning the plastic produces carbon emission. One of the reasons that contribute to the global warming in the planet is carbon emission. Also, volatile organic compounds are being discharged during plastic recycling. Volatile organic compounds are harmful to nearby animal and plants. It also presents health risks to people that use the recycled plastic as the plastic resin is made from petroleum. So, it can leach into food that is packaged in the containers.

In conclusion, before it is too late to flag out potential dangers of the nanotube, there is a pressing necessity to examine how carbon nanotubes are being used and see if there is any chance that people are being exposed to the dangerous material.

Reference

Dooren, J. V. (2012, September 5). Carbon nanotubes have unexpected negative impact on environment. Retrieved February 04, 2018, from http://www.bitsofscience.org/carbon-nanotube-environment-toxicity-4038/

Greenermeier. L. (2008, May 20). Study Says Carbon Nanotubes as Dangerous as Asbestos. Retrieved February 04, 2018 from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/carbon-nanotube-danger/

Kobayashi. N., Izumi. H, Morimoto. Y, (2017, August 8). Review of toxicity studies of carbon nanotubes. Retrieved February 04, 2018 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28794394

Luanpitpong. S., Wang. L., Rojanasakul. Y. (2016, January 12). The effects of carbon nanotubes on lung and dermal cellular behaviours. Retrieved February 04, 2018 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4710349/

Soffar. H. (2016, July 27). Plastic recycling advantages and disadvantages. Retrieved February 04, 2018 from https://www.online-sciences.com/industries/plastic-recycling-advantages-and-disadvantages/

Interpersonal Conflict

This was a conflict that had happened 2 years ago in the year of 2015 between my family and I. At that period of time, there was only one computer at home and we had to co-share the computer. We were arguing over who should be using the computer.  At that moment, I was rather unhappy with my brother as he had been using the computer consecutively for 3 days in a row. Yet, he is still unwilling to let me use it for just awhile to rush finish an important document that I had to submit over the weekends. My parents heard our heated argument from their room and rush over to our room to check out what was happening. However, they reprimanded me as for bullying my brother by asking him to get off the computer without knowing the real story behind it and told me that I as the older brother should not argue with my brother and to let him use it. I felt unfairly treated and raised my voice at my parents and told them that I have something important to do and I urgently need to use the computer. After hearing my point, my parents told my brother to let me use it as it was something urgent.

After reflecting on my actions, I felt bad about raising my voice at my parents. This was due to me being unable to control my emotions and letting it take control of me. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

What do you guys think I could have done better?

Read and Commented : HuanChoon, WeiMing, Haziq and Glen

Reader Response, Draft #1

In the article ‘Duo turn plastic waste into a concrete idea,’ Goy (2016) states that BlueRen scientists and co-founders, Wong Chui Ling and Aravind Muthiah, have discovered an environmentally friendly method to convert plastic waste into carbon nanotubes by using different mineral as a catalyst during recycling. This is important as in 2014 alone, 869 000 tonnes of plastic waste were produced but only 9% of it was recycled. This figure has been unchanged since 2001 and BlueRen’s approach has resulted in a 10% yield. Apart from that, these nanotubes are lightweight yet durable so it could be used as an additive in concrete making. It helps to strengthen the concrete thus reducing the use of cement by 30%. The article quotes Aravind, who believes that this is what makes BlueRen unique as their “technology is about upcycling and converts plastic waste into high-value products."


I totally agree with the summary's point of view on the advantage of converting plastic waste into a high-value product to reduce the use of concrete. However, the impacts of using carbon nanotube and plastic recycling are hardly mentioned in the article.

Yes, carbon nanotubes are stronger than steel, harder than diamond, as light as plastic. However, there are a lot of effects of the nanotubes on the environment that are foreign to us. Firstly, from early findings, it has shown that nanotubes are toxic to the human cell. It has the "same effect on them as a spear has on a game." Also, carbon nanotubes have a similar effect as asbestos. Asbestos has been banned in 55 countries worldwide due to its harmful properties on humans. Before the ban, asbestos has been used to strengthen concrete and to insulate buildings. Thus, it would be dangerous for carbon nanotube to replace 30% of cement when the effect on human is that severe.

Secondly, Studies have also shown that carbon nanotube would cause an adverse health effect. It is especially true for human exposure through inhalation and dermal contact during manufacturing and handling process. The exposure to carbon nanotubes will "induce inflammation, fibrosis, lung cancer following long-term inhalation." It is also observed that long and thin carbon nanotubes resemble and function like asbestos fiber. Asbestos fibers are so harmful because they are so tiny that they can penetrate deep into the lungs yet taking way to long for the body's immune system to destroy it.The carbon nanotubes will line the victim's lungs causing fatal cancer which can take 30 to 40 years to surface after exposure. So, it would be akin to killing the operators that are handling the carbon nanotube when mixing it with the cement.

Lastly, plastic recycling can create environmental problems if it is not done right. When plastic is being recycled, heat is required to melt it down. The process of burning the plastic produces carbon emission. One of the reasons that contribute to the global warming in the planet is carbon emission. Also, volatile organic compounds are being discharged during plastic recycling. Volatile organic compounds are harmful to nearby animal and plants. It also presents health risks to people that use the recycled plastic as the plastic resin is made from petroleum. So it can leach into food that is packaged in the containers.

In conclusion, before it is too late to flag out potential dangers of the nanotube, there is a pressing necessity to examine how carbon nanotubes are being used and see if there is any chance that people are being exposed to the dangerous material.


Reference

Carbon nanotubes have unexpected negative impact on environment (2011).
Retrieved (February 04, 2018) from
http://www.bitsofscience.org/carbon-nanotube-environment-toxicity-4038/

The effects of carbon nanotubes on lung and dermal cellular behaviors (2014)
Retrieved (February 04, 2018) from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4710349/

Review of toxicity studies of carbon nanotubes (2017)
Retrieved (February 04, 2018) from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28794394

Study Says Carbon Nanotubes as Dangerous as Asbestos (2008)
Retrieved (February 04, 2018) from
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/carbon-nanotube-danger/

Plastic recycling advantages and disadvantages (2016)
Retrieved (February 04, 2018) from
https://www.online-sciences.com/industries/plastic-recycling-advantages-and-disadvantages/




Revised : 7 Febuarary 2018