Abstract
In this work, the application of Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR: 1000–2500 nm) spectroscopy was evaluated to identify plastic waste containing brominated flame retardants (BFRs) using two different technologies: a portable spectroradiometer, providing spectra of single spots, and a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) platform, acquiring spectral images. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis was preliminarily performed on plastic scraps to analyze their bromine content. Chemometric methods were then applied to identify brominated plastics and polymer types. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was carried out to explore collected data and define the best preprocessing strategies, followed by Partial Least Squares—Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), used as a classification method. Plastic fragments were classified into “High Br content” (Br > 2000 mg/kg) and “Low Br content” (Br < 2000 mg/kg). The identified polymers were acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polystyrene (PS). Correct recognition of 89–90%, independently from the applied technique, was achieved for brominated plastics, whereas a correct recognition ranging from 81 to 89% for polymer type was reached. The study demonstrated as a systematic utilization of both the approaches at the industrial level and/or at laboratory scale for quality control can be envisaged especially considering their ease of use and the short detection response.
Highlights
In recent years, the management of Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is becoming more and more challenging due to its growing volume rate [1]
Considering that plastics from WEEE represent on average 25% of all WEEE annually generated by weight [6], their correct recycling can represent a valuable resource of secondary polymers if properly processed
The analyzed plastic samples were collected from the recycling plant of Galloo Plastics (Halluin, France), in which density medium separation is used for concentrating the brominated flame retardants (BFRs) plastics from a WEEE stream
Summary
The management of Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is becoming more and more challenging due to its growing volume rate [1]. WEEE waste streams require special treatment and sometimes complex management activities due to their intrinsic potential toxicity for the environment and their harmfulness to human and animal health [2] Their complexity in terms of composition, which may vary in time according to technological improvement and environmental regulations, lead to difficulties in recycling and recovery processes. WEEE contain important metals (i.e., gold, silver, iron, steel, copper, and aluminum) and other valuable materials, such as plastics, glass, and wood [3] Their correct handling, in terms of processing actions to obtain raw materials of secondary origins [4], produces a positive impact both in an economic (i.e., materials recovery) and in an environmental (i.e., reduced material disposed-off or incinerated) perspective. One of the main difficulties in WEEE plastic recovery is the presence of different types of plastics and additives as well as flame retardants, colorants, stabilizers, and other chemicals [7]
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