Rapid identification of polystyrene foam wastes containing hexabromocyclododecane or its alternative polymeric brominated flame retardant by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

Schlummer, Martin; Vogelsang, J.; Fiedler, Dominik; Gruber, Ludwig; Wolz, Gerd

doi:10.1177/0734242x15589783

Cited by 26 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…For most elements, and within a given category, LODs span one or two orders of magnitude among the samples. With respect to the different material categories, and based on median values, LODs are higher in foams than in plastics and ropes, presumably because of the greater contribution of air in the former (air promotes multilateral reflections and inhibits fluorescent x-rays from reaching the detector [13]). Painted surfaces exhibit the lowest LODs, likely because samples in this category contained fewer elements and lower concentrations of Cl as potential interferents (attenuating or enhancing secondary x-rays).…”

Section: Detection Limitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the elemental composition of marine litter by field-portable-XRF

Turner

Solman

2016

Talanta

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Marine litter represents a pervasive environmental problem that poses direct threats to wildlife and habitats. Indirectly, litter can also act as a vehicle for the exposure and bioaccumulation of chemicals that are associated with manufactured or processed solids. In this study, we describe the use of a Niton field-portable-x-ray fluorescence (FP-XRF) spectrometer to determine the content of 17 elements in beached plastics, foams, ropes and painted items. The instrument was used in a 'plastics' mode configured for complex, low density materials, and employed a thickness correction algorithm to account for varying sample depth. Accuracy was evaluated by analysing two reference polyethylene discs and was better than 15% for all elements that had been artificially impregnated into the polymer. Regarding the litter samples, limits of detection for a 120s counting time varied between the different material categories and among the elements but were generally lowest for plastics and painted items with median concentrations of less than 10μgg(-1) for As, Bi, Br, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn. Concentrations returned by the XRF were highly sensitive to the thickness correction applied for certain elements (Ba, Cl, Cr, Cu, Fe, Sb, Ti, Zn) in all matrices tested, indicating that accurate measurement and application of the correct thickness is critical for acquiring reliable results. An independent measure of the elemental content of selected samples by ICP spectrometry following acid digestion returned concentrations that were significantly correlated with those returned by the XRF, and with an overall slope of [XRF]/[ICP]=0.85. Within the FP-XRF operating conditions, Cl, Cr, Fe, Ti and Zn were detected in more than 50% and Hg and Se in less than 1% of the 376 litter samples analysed. Significant from an environmental perspective were concentrations of the hazardous elements, Cd, Br and Pb, that exceeded several thousand μgg(-1) in many cases.

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Section: Detection Limitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the elemental composition of marine litter by field-portable-XRF

Turner

Solman

2016

Talanta

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“…As application examples, XRF allows to identify Cl in PVC, flame retardants (Br, Sb and P), or regulated heavy metals (Pb, Hg and Cd) in EoL products ( Riise et al, 2000 ; Schlummer et al, 2015 ). Although, chemical analysis and IR spectroscopy techniques can be used to determine the type of plastic with reasonable certainty, these techniques are less useful when looking for additives.…”

Section: Current Photonic Techniques Applied For Monitoring Of Plasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With respect to bromine as an indicator for brominated flame retardants, this might be even below 50 ppm if hexabromocyclododecane waste streams are considered. A special sample pre-treatment was proposed ( Schlummer et al, 2015 ) to enable distinguishing between extractable and non-extractable polymeric flame-retardant additives.…”

Section: Application Strategies Of Photonic Technologies In Recycling Of Plasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Examples for industrial application of these technologies are only seldom reported in the scientific literature – one example is Arends et al (2015) . Other examples which describe the separation of bromine containing expanded polystyrene materials from bromine free items, actually refer to the separation of brominated flame retarded housing plastics from electronic devices ( Arends et al, 2015 ; Schlummer et al, 2015 ; Wagner et al, 2018 ), all using handheld instruments of molecular analysis (e.g., XRF). Such reports describe the successful application of photonic separation methods on industrial scale dismantled plastics performed by R&D teams.…”

Section: Application Strategies Of Photonic Technologies In Recycling Of Plasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Review on the photonic techniques suitable for automatic monitoring of the composition of multi-materials wastes in view of their posterior recycling

et al. 2021

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In the increasingly pressing context of improving recycling, optical technologies present a broad potential to support the adequate sorting of plastics. Nevertheless, the commercially available solutions (for example, employing near-infrared spectroscopy) generally focus on identifying mono-materials of a few selected types which currently have a market-interest as secondary materials. Current progress in photonic sciences together with advanced data analysis, such as artificial intelligence, enable bridging practical challenges previously not feasible, for example in terms of classifying more complex materials. In the present paper, the different techniques are initially reviewed based on their main characteristics. Then, based on academic literature, their suitability for monitoring the composition of multi-materials, such as different types of multi-layered packaging and fibre-reinforced polymer composites as well as black plastics used in the motor vehicle industry, is discussed. Finally, some commercial systems with applications in those sectors are also presented. This review mainly focuses on the materials identification step (taking place after waste collection and before sorting and reprocessing) but in outlook, further insights on sorting are given as well as future prospects which can contribute to increasing the circularity of the plastic composites’ value chains.

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“…The presence of this additive may also pose challenges and constraints on how the material can be disposed of and recycled. Rapid screening methods based on portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry have been developed that detect the presence and solubility of Br in foamed PS (HBCD is solvent-extractable while newer, 'safer' brominated compounds are not) (110).…”

Section: Emerging Solutions To Foamed Ps Waste Generation and Disposalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foamed Polystyrene in the Marine Environment: Sources, Additives, Transport, Behavior, and Impacts

Turner

2020

Environ. Sci. Technol.

118

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Foamed polystyrene (PS) that may be either expanded (EPS) or extruded (XPS) is a rigid, lightweight insulating thermoplastic that has a variety of uses in the consumer, packaging, construction, and marine sectors. The properties of the material also result in waste that is readily generated, dispersed, and fragmented in the environment. This review focuses on foamed PS in the marine setting, including its sources, transport, degradation, acquisition of contaminants, ingestion by animals, and biological impacts arising from the mobilization of chemical additives. In the ocean, foamed PS is subject to wind-assisted transport and fracturing via photolytic degradation. The material may also act as a substrate for rafting organisms while being exposed to elevated concentrations of natural and anthropogenic surface-active chemicals in the sea surface microlayer.In the littoral setting, fragmentation is accentuated by milling in the swash zone and abrasion when beached, with wind transport leading to the temporary burial of significant quantities of material.Ingestion of EPS and XPS has been documented for a variety of marine animals, but principally those that feed at the sea surface or use the material as a habitat. As well as risking injuries due to gastrointestinal blockage, ingestion of foamed PS exposes animals to harmful chemicals, and of greatest concern in this respect is the presence of the historical, but still recycled, flame-retardant, hexabromocyclododecane. Because foamed PS is particularly difficult to retrieve as a constituent of marine litter, means of reducing its presence and impacts will rely on the elimination of processes that generate foamed waste, modification of current storage and disposal practices, and the development of more durable and sustainable alternatives.

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Rapid identification of polystyrene foam wastes containing hexabromocyclododecane or its alternative polymeric brominated flame retardant by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

Cited by 26 publications

References 17 publications

Analysis of the elemental composition of marine litter by field-portable-XRF

Analysis of the elemental composition of marine litter by field-portable-XRF

Review on the photonic techniques suitable for automatic monitoring of the composition of multi-materials wastes in view of their posterior recycling

Foamed Polystyrene in the Marine Environment: Sources, Additives, Transport, Behavior, and Impacts

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