Nuñez, Samuel S., Conesa, Juan A., Moltó Berenguer, Julia, Fullana, Andres
Decontamination of recycled LDPE using different washing methods
Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2023, 195: 107017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107017
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10045/134212
DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107017
ISSN: 0921-3449 (Print)
Abstract: 
Post-consumer low density polyethylene samples were analysed for PAHs, PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs content. Subsequently, various treatments were applied to determine a process capable of decontaminating the plastic samples: extraction with polyethylene glycol at different temperatures with and without agitation; extraction using subcritical and hot water at different temperatures in a basic medium; compound degradation by ultraviolet radiation; and compound degradation by advanced oxidation processes using H2O2. The most effective treatment was extraction with polyethylene glycol (agitated) at 120 °C, reducing contamination by 89%, 85% and 95% of PAHs, PCDD/Fs, and dioxin-like PCBs, respectively. The least effective treatments (subcritical and hot water), maximum reductions of 47% and 19% of PAHs were obtained for the temperatures of 160 °C and 90 °C. UV oxidation increased the toxic equivalency of the samples (calculated using the toxicity equivalency factors) by up to 1400%, through the co-formation of the most toxic congeners, e.g., the non-ortho PCBs.
Keywords:Dioxins, Polyethylene glycol extraction, Ultraviolet oxidation, Subcritical water extraction, Post-consumer waste, Plastic recycling
Elsevier
info:eu-repo/semantics/article