Evidence-Based Medicine; Climbing a Mountain for a Better Decision-Making

Evidence-Based Medicine is a relatively new term used in medical sittings and Health Information Technology (HIT). It is a form of medicine that integrates practitioners’ expertise with the best available practical evidences to improve better patient care. Evidence-Based Medicine has increasingly been used and incorporated into daily medical practices to overcome the shortcomings in the conventional standard care. The purpose of this literature review is to highlight the importance of Evidence-Based Medicine and how it can act as a crucial tool in decision-making to empower the quality of medical services for better patient outcomes

Chapter 6 Carbonation technologies

This chapter discusses some selected carbonation processes to identify the stage at which each technology is ready for implementation by using the nine Technology Readiness Levels Available technologies that implemented the multistep aqueous carbonation processes were discussed. These technologies were divided into two groups. The first deals with technologies for natural serpentine carbonation, such as the Nottingham University process (TRL3), the Åbo Akademi process (TRL3), the Shell process (TRL7), and the US National Energy Technology Laboratory process (TRL3); while, the second deals with technologies for alkaline waste carbonation (AWC) such as The High Gravity Carbonation (HiGCarb) pilot-scale project in Taiwan (TRL3) for Basic Oxygen Furnace slag, and Mohamed and El-Gamal\u27s Fluidization (MGF) Process (TRL6) for variety of AWC such as cement Kiln dust (CKD), fly ash, and steel slags. Five case studies for the use of the MGF process were presented. These are (a) CKD; (b) EAF steel slag; (c) manufacturing of sewerage pipes from (i) bitumen-based modified elemental sulfur, (ii) crushed sand, dune sand, and carbonated Ladle Furnace (LF) slag as aggregate material; and (iii) carbonated ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGFBS) as a filler; (d) demonstration in actual underground sewerage environment for ordinary Portland cements concrete, as a reference, sulfate resistance cement concrete, and two types of sulfur concrete, one of which was manufactured with modified sulfur cement as well as carbonated fly ash; and (e) demonstration in saline, and variable acidic environments, whereby the products were manufactured using elemental sulfur, modified sulfur cement, sand, and carbonated CKD using the MGF process. Details regarding hydration mechanisms, factors that control the hydration process, optimum operating conditions for the hydration process, carbonation processes, degree of sequestration, and optimum carbonation parameters were discussed. Carbonated products were evaluated using X-ray diffraction analysis, thermo-gravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the potential leachability and long-term stability of carbonated products were evaluated

Chapter 12 Carbonation of mine tailings waste

This chapter introduces general information about the mine tailing waste residues: their sources and properties. It also highlights the carbonation of such residues done with/without pretreatment through single/multiple step(s). It concerns with detailed description of anorthosite, ultramafic, ophiolitic complexes tailing waste residues and red mud with further demonstration about its processes such Bayer, calcination-carbonation showing the effects of different parameters. Finally, the reader finds the practical applications of these carbonated tailing waste residues, where more studies are recommended to enhance their utilization

Chapter 7 Laboratory carbonation methods: testing and evaluation

This chapter is concerned with the carbonation methods, which are used in laboratory studies for mineral carbonations as well as the experimental methods that are used to calculate the carbon uptakes. In addition, the maximum theoretical uptake, carbonation efficiency, and ratio are discussed. Carbonation reactors such as fluidized bed, spouted bed, high gravity rotating bed, ultrasound, and autoclave are presented and discussed. Also, the calcium looping reactor for both calcination and carbonation is included. For all the reactors, the basic operating principles, as well as the carbonation controlling parameters, are highlighted and evaluated

Chapter 5 Mineral carbonation

In this chapter, accelerated carbonation technology (ACT) is discussed. Both direct and indirect carbonation processes used in the ACT are highlighted, emphasizing using the alkaline solid waste materials as the feedstock for the carbonation. The principles of accelerated carbonation reaction in view of process chemistry, ion equilibrium in solution, carbonate precipitation, formation of solid carbonates, calcite crystal growth, the thermodynamic stability of formed products, and modeling of reaction kinetics are discussed.rnFactors that affect the carbonation efficiency such as surface activation, flue gas characteristics, nature of the carbonation reactor, the reacting media, and the product themselves are discussed. The following carbonated products are identified and discussed: (a) carbonates-based minerals (soda ash, calcium carbonates, bicarbonate, magnesium carbonates, iron carbonates, etc.); (b) hydroxides-based chemicals, such as calcium and sodium hydroxides; (c) minerals such as hydro-magnesite, calcite, halite, and dolomite that can be used as cementitious materials for cement-based concrete materials; (d) other minerals such as nesquehonite, lansfordite, dypingite and artinite that can be used as aggregates and cementitious materials; (e) chloride-based chemicals, such as HCl, NaOCl, or chlorine-based polymers, such as PVC; and (f) hydrogen.rnThe possible utilization of the carbonated products, such as lower- and higher-end calcium carbonate products, mono-dispersed nanoparticles, silica, and the whole carbonated solid alkaline waste materials, are discussed. Finally, life cycle assessments of several alkaline solid wastes, including ultra-fine (UF) slag, fly-ash (FA) slag, and blended hydraulic slag cement (BHC), in an autoclave reactor are discussed

Chapter 14 Carbonation of cement kiln dust

The sources and characteristics of various types of ash and waste produced in the cement industry, such as CKD, cement bypass dust, ordinary Portland cement, and recycled concrete aggregate, are discussed. Current CKD utilization in civil works, geotechnical applications, roads and pavement structures, treatment of hazardous wastes, waste containment barriers, permeable reactive barriers for groundwater remediation, and wastewater neutralization are discussed. Also, the potential use of CKD for carbon sequestration is evaluated. Hydration of CKD and the newly formed hydrated products, such as hydrated lime [C–H], calcium silicate hydrates [C3S2H3], calcium aluminate hydrates [C3AH6], calcium aluminate trisulfate hydrate [C6AS3H32] or the calcium aluminate mono-sulfate hydrate [C4ASH18], are discussed. Also, CKD carbonation methods such as (a) Mohamed and El Gamal fluidization (MGF) process; (b) batch carbonation process; (c) column carbonation process; (d) rotating tube furnace carbonation process; (e) ultrasonic carbonation process; and (f) indirect carbonation, were discussed. Finally, CKD kinetic modeling, which describes the carbonation reaction, is discussed with emphasis on the type of carbonation reactor (static vs. dynamic)

Chapter 8 Carbonation of fly ash

This chapter discusses the sources and characteristics (physical, chemical, and mineralogical) of coal ashes, municipal solid waste incineration ashes and modern ashes, criteria for ash utilization in construct industry, current utilizations of ashes, and associated environmental risks. It also discusses the carbonation techniques (direct dry/semidry route, direct aqueous route, and indirect route), the carbonation reaction, and the thermodynamic modeling. For each carbonation method, examples from the literature were discussed. Finally, utilization of the fly ashes to produce Ca-based sorbents as well as the various sintering modification processes was discussed