| Title: | "The pollution characteristics of odor, volatile organochlorinated compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emitted from plastic waste recycling plants" |
| Author(s): | Tsai CJ; Chen ML; Chang KF; Chang FK; Mao IF; |
| Address: | "Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Sec. 2, Li-Nong St., Beitou, Taipei, Taiwan" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.10.041 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-1298 (Electronic) 0045-6535 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Plastic waste treatment trends toward recycling in many countries; however, the melting process in the facilities which adopt material recycling method for treating plastic waste may emit toxicants and cause sensory annoyance. The objectives of this study were to analyze the pollution characteristics of the emissions from the plastic waste recycling plants, particularly in harmful volatile organochlorinated compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), odor levels and critical odorants. Ten large recycling plants were selected for analysis of odor concentration (OC), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and PAHs inside and outside the plants using olfactometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector, respectively. The olfactometric results showed that the melting processes used for treating polyethylene/polypropylene (PE/PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic waste significantly produced malodor, and the odor levels at downwind boundaries were 100-229 OC, which all exceeded Taiwan's EPA standard of 50 OC. Toluene, ethylbenzene, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, methyl methacrylate and acrolein accounted for most odors compared to numerous VOCs. Sixteen organochlorinated compounds were measured in the ambient air emitted from the PVC plastic waste recycling plant and total concentrations were 245-553 microg m(-3); most were vinyl chloride, chloroform and trichloroethylene. Concentrations of PAHs inside the PE/PP plant were 8.97-252.16 ng m(-3), in which the maximum level were 20-fold higher than the levels detected from boundaries. Most of these recycling plants simply used filter to treat the melting fumes, and this could not efficiently eliminate the gaseous compounds and malodor. Improved exhaust air pollution control were strongly recommended in these industries" |
| Keywords: | "*Conservation of Natural Resources Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated/analysis/*chemistry Odorants/*analysis Plastics/*chemistry Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/analysis/*chemistry Polyethylene/chemistry Polypropylenes/chemistry Polyvinyl Chloride/chemistry Volat;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineTsai, Chung-Jung Chen, Mei-Lien Chang, Keng-Fu Chang, Fu-Kuei Mao, I-Fang eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2008/12/19 Chemosphere. 2009 Feb; 74(8):1104-10. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.10.041. Epub 2008 Dec 16" |
