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Material recovery from electronic waste using pyrolysis: Emissions measurements and risk assessment
Citation:
Sahle-Demessie, Endalkac, B. Mezgebe, J. Dietrich, Y. Shan, S. Harmon, AND Chun C. Lee. Material recovery from electronic waste using pyrolysis: Emissions measurements and risk assessment. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands, 9(1):104943, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2020.104943
Impact/Purpose:
E-waste is growing at a startling rate worldwide, faster than it can be recycled. The complexity of e-waste and the challenge of new brands, and the influx of recyclable items, and maintaining standards that keep workers healthy and the environment clean is an ongoing challenge worldwide. The study shows that e-waste can be high a resource material for a wide range of elements. Formal recycling processes are sustainable methods for recovering material and energy that can achieve a circular economy. Developing countries use informal recycling conditions that can adversely impact the health of workers and people in nearby communities by the multitude of toxic chemicals.
Description:
Electronic waste (e-waste) generation has been growing in volume worldwide, and the diversity of its material composition is increasing. Sustainable management of this material is critical to achieving a circular-economy and minimizing environmental and public health risks. This study's objective was to investigate the use of pyrolysis as a possible technique to recover valuable materials and energy from different components of e-waste as an alternative approach for limiting their disposal to landfills. The study includes investigating the potential environmental impact of thermal processing of e-waste. The mass loss and change in e-waste chemicals during pyrolysis were also considered. The energy recovery from pyrolysis was made in a horizontal tube furnace under anoxic and isothermal conditions of selected temperatures of 300 °C, 400 °C, and 500 °C. Critical metals that include the rare earth elements and other metals (such as In, Co, Li) and valuable metals (Au, Ag, Pt group) were recovered from electronic components. Pyrolysis produced liquid and gas mixtures of organic compounds that can be used as fuels.
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DOI: Material recovery from electronic waste using pyrolysis: Emissions measurements and risk assessment
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