Analysis and Characterization of Oils from the Pyrolysis of Polypropylene, Polystyrene, and Mixed Plastic Wastes.

Abstract

The fast rate of plastic waste production has posed a significant environmental concern at the global level. This issue is quite pertinent to my course on sustainability and environmental science as a university student. Polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) are some of the plastics that make up a large percentage of the municipal and industrial waste, and we have discussed this in our recent lab sessions. This cool, thermochemical, limited or no oxygen, decomposition is known as pyrolysis and promises to convert these wastes to useful liquid fuels. In our most recent project, we were working on the qualitative research of the pyrolytic oils obtained out of the plastic materials consisting of PP and PS, the assessment of their physicochemical properties and the potential use of the fuel source. This is an energy transition module. To determine whether the samples contained any hydrocarbons, aromatics, and other organic compounds, the oils were taken through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), and elemental analysis. The results have shown that PP pyrolysis oil has a high proportion of alkanes and alkenes with PS pyrolysis oil mainly comprising of aromatic compounds including those of styrene. The paper shows the promise of using pyrolytic oils as an alternative source of fuel, but the refining and upgrading is required before the fuel can suit industrial usage.