Lighter fluid may be useful for getting barbecue briquettes or campfires lit, but it’s not the most eco-friendly stuff in the world. A team of scientists from Hong Kong and Hungary are developing what could be a greener solution, however – cleaner-burning lighter fluid derived from discarded paper.
Led by István T. Horváth from City University of Hong Kong, the researchers start with paper waste and newsprint. Using sulphuric acid as a catalyst, they convert it into levulinic acid and formic acid, which are in turn converted into a compound known as gamma-valerolactone (GVL).
Pure GVL creates no toxic fumes – when it was used as fuel for glass lamps burning in a small room for several hours, it created no noticeable smoke or odours. In lab tests, it was found that an ignited mix of 90% GVL and 10% ethanol gave off 15% less volatile organic compounds than traditional lighter fluid.
Click here for source (Gizmag)
