Year-end Sale % OFF 
Abstract
Thermal decomposition of different samples containing a mixture of plastics (polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and nylon) combined with NaCl and metal oxides (Fe2O3, CuO) was studied under an air atmosphere at 850 °C using a reactor, followed by analysis of the evolved products. Combustion runs were performed to study how the presence of such compounds influences the production of pollutants. Here, we report the analyses of the emissions of the main gases, as well as volatiles and semivolatiles, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated benzenes and phenols, and polybrominated phenols. Results show that the production of chlorinated pollutants did not increase in the presence of NaCl, but the presence of other metals during the decomposition led to the production of a great amount of pollutants. In this regard, the emission of chlorinated phenols increased from 110 to ca. 250 mg/kg when the sample included a small quantity of a transition metal oxide. Additionally, the presence of an inhibitor—thiourea (TUA)—was tested. Results confirm that adding TUA to the sample reduced these emissions to a considerable extent, with the emission of chlorinated phenols amounting to 65 mg/kg.
Highlights
Due to the rapid development of the plastics industry, plastic products have become the most abundant material worldwide [1]
Thiourea (TUA) has shown the best results [22,23,24]. Following this line of research, the aim of this study is to examine how the presence of NaCl influences the production of pollutants during the thermal decomposition of a mixture of plastic materials
Different mixtures were prepared to study the effect of the presence of NaCl in a catalyzed and noncatalyzed medium
Summary
Due to the rapid development of the plastics industry, plastic products have become the most abundant material worldwide [1]. The presence of these items in the marine environment has increased dramatically in the last 50 years [2], representing 60–80% of total marine debris [3]. Around 280 million tons of plastic items are produced each year [4,5]. Jambeck et al estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of this waste end up in the world’s oceans every year [6]. Plastics are hazardous for the marine environment for several reasons. The main reason is their resistance to degradation: it is estimated they need hundreds or thousands of years to degrade [10]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
