Abstract
In order to assess the human exposure risks from the release of contaminants from water pipes made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), experiments were carried out by subjecting the PVC pipe material to burning and leaching conditions followed by analysis of the emission and leachate samples. The emissions of burning pipes were analyzed by both infrared spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The emission test results indicate the presence of chlorinated components including chlorine dioxide, methyl chloride, methylene chloride, allyl chloride, vinyl chloride, ethyl chloride, 1-chlorobutane, tetrachloroethylene, chlorobenzene, and hydrogen chloride were detected in the emissions of burning PVC pipes. Furthermore, the concentrations of benzene, 1,3-butadiene, methyl methacrylate, carbon monoxide, acrolein, and formaldehyde were found at levels capable of affecting human health adversely. The analysis of PVC pipe leachates using GC-MS shows that there are 40–60 tentatively identified compounds, mostly long-chain hydrocarbons such as tetradecane, hexadecane, octadecane, and docosane, were released when the burned PVC materials were soaked in deionized water for one week. Quantitative analysis shows that 2-butoxyethanol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, and diethyl phthalate were found in the burned PVC polymer at the average levels of 2.7, 14.0, and 3.1 micrograms per gram (μg/g) of pipe material. This study has significant implications for understanding the benzene contamination of drinking water in the aftermath of wildfires that burned polymer pipes in California.
Highlights
Plastics are non-biodegradable organic polymers of high molecular mass [1]
The goals of this study are mainly aimed at (i) the characterization of contaminants emitted into air when PVC water pipe is subjected to burning, (ii) the identification and quantitative determination of contaminants leached into water from PVC pipes that were damaged after burning, and (iii) the application of analytical methods based on infrared spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis for characterizing emission and leachate samples of PVC pipes
This study is timely considering the recent increase in the frequency and severity of wildfires in California and other western states that had caused the burning and damage of stormwater and drinking water pipes
Summary
Plastics are non-biodegradable organic polymers of high molecular mass [1]. They are widely used in household and municipal applications such as water and sewer pipes, and electrical and vehicle equipment such as cables and wire networks [2]. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinylchloride (PVC) are the most common type of plastics used commercially because of their relatively lower cost and higher ignition temperature [3]. Considering the extremely high combustion temperature of wildfires, the use of all three types of plastic pipes in locations or buildings prone to fire risks will pose additional serious impacts on environment, public health and infrastructure.
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