The pollution characteristics of odor, volatile organochlorinated compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emitted from plastic waste recycling plants

Tsai, Chung‐Jung; Chen, Mei-Lien; Chang, Keng-Fu; Chang, Fu-Kuei; Mao, I‐Fang

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.10.041

Cited by 87 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Dozens of volatile organic compounds were identified in the air and the workers suffered acute and chronic health risks in poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene) (ABS) and polystyrene (PS) recycling workshops (Huang et al, 2013;He et al, 2015). High levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and PAEs were also measured in the air from a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic waste recycling plant (Tsai et al, 2009;He et al, 2015). Our previous research reported that high concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) occurred in the environment and in human hair in a plastic recycling area in China and their potential risks should be of great concern (Tang et al, 2014).…”

Section: -2000 Mg Kgmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contamination and risk of heavy metals in soils and sediments from a typical plastic waste recycling area in North China

Tang

Zhang

Huang

et al. 2015

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

141

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

a b s t r a c tPlastic wastes are increasingly being recycled in many countries. However, available information on the metals released into the environment during recycling processes is rare. In this study, the contamination features and risks of eight heavy metals in soils and sediments were investigated in Wen'an, a typical plastic recycling area in North China. The surface soils and sediments have suffered from moderate to high metal pollution and in particular, high Cd and Hg pollution. The mean concentrations of Cd and Hg were 0.355 and 0.408 mg kg À 1 , respectively, in the soils and 1.53 and 2.10 mg kg À 1 , respectively, in the sediments. The findings suggested that there is considerable to high potential ecological risks in more than half of the soils and high potential ecological risk in almost all sediments. Although the health risk levels from exposure to soil metals were acceptable for adults, the non-carcinogenic risks to local children exceeded the acceptable level. Source assessment indicated that heavy metals in soils and sediments were mainly derived from inputs from poorly controlled plastic waste recycling operations in this area. The results suggested that the risks associated with heavy metal pollution from plastic waste recycling should be of great concern.

show abstract

Section: -2000 Mg Kgmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contamination and risk of heavy metals in soils and sediments from a typical plastic waste recycling area in North China

Tang

Zhang

Huang

et al. 2015

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

141

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Field experiences indicate that nylon recycling produces the smells of ammonia and burnt plastics and polyethylene and polypropylene (PE/PP) plastic recycling produces smells of burnt plastics. A study by Tsai and colleagues (Tsai et al, 2009) showed that melting of PE/ PP and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) waste plastics produces odor downwind of a plant's perimeter at concentrations of 100-229 (dimensionless, dilution times to odor threshold), which is higher than the regulation upper limit of 50 for periphery of plants located in industrial area as set by the Environmental Protection Administration of Taiwan. In the study, the "triangle odor bag method" used in Japan since 1972 was used to evaluate the odor intensity of the gas samples (Iwasaki, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biofiltration of odorous fume emitted from recycled nylon melting operations

Chen

Chang

Chou

2013

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study aimed to develop a biofilter packed only with fern chips for the removal of odorous compounds from recycled nylon melting operations. The fern chip biofilters could avoid the shortcomings of traditional media, such as compaction, drying, and breakdown, which lead to the performance failure of the biofilters. A pilot-scale biofilter consisting of an acrylic column (14 cm 2 Â 120 cm height) packed with fern chips to a volume of around 19.6 L was used for the test. Experimental results indicate that oxygenand nitrogen-containing hydrocarbons as well as paraffins were major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from thermal smelting of recycled nylon at 250 C. With operation conditions of medium pH of 5.5-7.0, empty bed retention time (EBRT) of 6-12 sec, influent total hydrocarbon (THC) concentrations of 0.65-2.61 mg m À3 , and volumetric organic loading of 0.05-0.85 g m À3 hr À1 , the fern-chip-packed biofilter with nutrients of milk, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, and glucose could achieve an overall THC removal efficiency of around 80%. Burnt odor emitted from the smelting of the recycled nylon could be eliminated by the biofilter.Implications: Biotreatment of contaminants in air streams offers an inexpensive and efficient alternative to conventional technologies. Biofiltration have a great potential for the degradation of gas-borne odorous compounds. THC removal efficiency of around 80% can be achieved. Burnt odor emitted from the smelting of the recycled nylon could be eliminated by the biofilter. This study provides an experimentally verified model for the design and operation of such biotreatment systems.

show abstract

“…Field experiences indicate that nylon recycling produces the smells of ammonia and burnt plastics and polypropylene (PP) plastic recycling produces mainly the smell of acrolein from oxidation of propylene on pyrolysis of PP. Based on a study by Tsai et al (2009), melting of polyethylene (PE)/PP/polyvinyl chloride (PVC) waste plastics produces odor downwind of a plant's perimeter at concentrations of 100 to 229 (dimensionless, dilution times to odor threshold), which is higher than the regulation upper limit of 50 for industrial area set by the Environmental Protection Administration of Taiwan.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elimination of Odors Emitted from Hot-Melting of Recycle PS by Oxidative-Reductive Scrubbing

Chang

Chou

Chang

2014

Aerosol Air Qual. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Hot-melt granulation of waste plastics emits fumes with unpleasant plastic-burning odor during the heating process. This study uses sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution to scrub and oxidize the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the associated odors from polystyrene (PS) hot-melting exhaust. An alkaline hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) solution was followed to remove Cl 2 emitted from the oxidative solution. Laboratory scrubbing bottles with a liquid volume of 600 mL were used with the hot melt gas injected into the system at a rate of 1 L/min at 25°C.Results indicate that by purging the test gas through a solution with an available chlorine of 300-370 mg/L at an adjusted pH (6.5-7.0) for oxidation of the absorbed odorous compounds, and then through a solution with pH > 12.0 and 0.35% H 2 O 2 for absorption and reduction of Cl 2 (< 11.2 ppm) in the exhaust gas from the oxidation liquid, around 90% of the VOCs in the range of 3.2-55.5 ppm (expressed as methane equivalent) was removed.Estimations indicate that it requires around 1.62, 0.0452, and 0.0827 kg NaOCl solution (12% available Cl 2 ), H 2 O 2 solution (35% H 2 O 2 ), and sodium hydroxide solution (45% NaOH), respectively, for scrubbing 1,000 m 3 of the exhaust gas with 10 ppm NMHC (expressed as methane equivalent). The chemicals cost a total of approximately USD 0.32.The study has developed a new, effective and economic process for reducing odorous compounds in the hot-melted gas. When commercialized the process is hoped to decrease a lot of odorous complaints.

show abstract

The pollution characteristics of odor, volatile organochlorinated compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emitted from plastic waste recycling plants

Cited by 87 publications

References 21 publications

Contamination and risk of heavy metals in soils and sediments from a typical plastic waste recycling area in North China

Contamination and risk of heavy metals in soils and sediments from a typical plastic waste recycling area in North China

Biofiltration of odorous fume emitted from recycled nylon melting operations

Elimination of Odors Emitted from Hot-Melting of Recycle PS by Oxidative-Reductive Scrubbing

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About