Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Selective flotation separation of polycarbonate from plastic mixtures based on Fenton treatment combined with ultrasonic

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As a main component of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) plastics, polycarbonate (PC) shows an important recycling significance. However, separating PC from WEEE plastics is difficult due to their similar hydrophobic surfaces and densities. Herein, a novel surface modification method using Fenton treatment combined with ultrasonic was proposed to selectively separate PC from acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) by froth flotation. The effects of surface modification and flotation conditions on the flotation recovery of plastics were investigated to determine the optimum separation conditions for PC. The optimum conditions are ultrasonic power 240 W, ultrasonic time 8 min, molar ratio (H2O2/Fe2+) 100, hydrogen peroxide concentration 0.3 mol/L, pH 3, frother concentration 20 mg/L, stirring rate 1800 rpm and flotation time 4 min. Under optimum conditions, the recovery and purity of PC with different mass ratios exceed 97.97% and 99.18%, respectively. Contact angle and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to ascertain the mechanism of surface modification. The surface of PC becomes more hydrophilic due to the introduction of oxygen-containing groups induced by surface modification. Consequently, this study provides a practical surface modification method for the separation of PC from WEEE plastics, which will effectively promote the recycling of PC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Leal Filho W, Saari U, Fedoruk M, Iital A, Moora H, Klöga M, Voronova V (2019) An overview of the problems posed by plastic products and the role of extended producer responsibility in Europe. J Clean Prod 214:550–558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.12.256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Zeng X, Gong R, Chen WQ, Li J (2016) Uncovering the recycling potential of “New” WEEE in China. Environ Sci Technol 50(3):1347–1358. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b05446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Forti V, Baldé C, Kuehr R, Bel G (2020) The Global E-waste Monitor 2020. Quantities, flows, and the circular economy potential [M]

  4. Martinho G, Pires A, Saraiva L, Ribeiro R (2012) Composition of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) by direct sampling. Waste Manag 32(6):1213–1217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2012.02.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Wu C, Nahil MA, Miskolczi N, Huang J, Williams PT (2014) Processing real-world waste plastics by pyrolysis-reforming for hydrogen and high-value carbon nanotubes. Environ Sci Technol 48(1):819–826. https://doi.org/10.1021/es402488b

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Wang Y, Zhang FS (2012) Degradation of brominated flame retardant in computer housing plastic by supercritical fluids. J Hazard Mater 205–206:156–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.12.055

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Wang H, Wang J, Zou Q, Liu W, Wang C, Huang W (2018) Surface treatment using potassium ferrate for separation of polycarbonate and polystyrene waste plastics by froth flotation. Appl Surf Sci 448:219–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.04.091

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Du Y, Zhang Y, Jiang H, Li T, Luo M, Wang L, Wang C, Wang H (2020) Hydrophilic modification of polycarbonate surface with surface alkoxylation pretreatment for efficient separation of polycarbonate and polystyrene by froth flotation. Waste Manag 118:471–480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2020.09.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Zhao Y, Mishra P, Han F, Liu X, Shen Z (2019) Surface micro-alcoholysis treatment: A novel approach towards froth flotation based separation for binary mixtures of polyethylene terephthalate and polyvinyl chloride. J Clean Prod 232:848–857. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Yang X, Sun L, Xiang J, Hu S, Su S (2013) Pyrolysis and dehalogenation of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): a review. Waste Manag 33(2):462–473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2012.07.025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Gu F, Guo J, Zhang W, Summers PA, Hall P (2017) From waste plastics to industrial raw materials: A life cycle assessment of mechanical plastic recycling practice based on a real-world case study. Sci Total Environ 601–602:1192–1207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Wen Z, Zhang C, Ji X, Xue Y (2015) Urban mining’s potential to relieve china’s coming resource crisis. J Ind Ecol 19(6):1091–1102. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Thanh Truc NT, Lee BK (2016) Sustainable and selective separation of PVC and ABS from a WEEE plastic mixture using microwave and/or mild-heat treatment with froth flotation. Environ Sci Technol 50(19):10580–10587. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b02280

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Nguyen TD, Al Tahtamouni TM, Huong PT, Thang PQ (2019) Selective flotation separation of ABS/PC from ESR plastic wastes mixtures assisted by ultrasonic catalyst/H2O2. J Environm Chem Eng. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2019.103354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Zhang Y, Jiang H, Wang H, Wang C (2020) Separation of hazardous polyvinyl chloride from waste plastics by flotation assisted with surface modification of ammonium persulfate: Process and mechanism. J Hazard Mater 389:121918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121918

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Wang H, Zhang Y, Wang C (2019) Surface modification and selective flotation of waste plastics for effective recycling——a review. Sep Purif Technol 226:75–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2019.05.052

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Li X, Guo YW, Ruan JL, Qiao Q, Zhang JQ (2015) Impacts of different wetting agents on the density separation of waste plastic mixtures. Appl Mech Mater 768:418–425. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.768.418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Moroni M, Lupo E, La Marca F (2017) Hydraulic separation of plastic wastes: analysis of liquid-solid interaction. Waste Manag 66:13–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.04.045

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Rezoug M, Aksa W, Boukhoulda MF, Medles K, Dascalescu L (2018) A novel tribo-electrostatic device for the treatment of granular waste plastics mixtures. Int J Environ Stud 76(2):225–235. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207233.2018.1551957

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Singh N, Hui D, Singh R, Ahuja IPS, Feo L, Fraternali F (2017) Recycling of plastic solid waste: a state of art review and future applications. Compos B Eng 115:409–422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.09.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Beigbeder J, Perrin D, Mascaro J-F, Lopez-Cuesta J-M (2013) Study of the physico-chemical properties of recycled polymers from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) sorted by high resolution near infrared devices. Resour Conserv Recycl 78:105–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2013.07.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Heidarpour M, Movahed SO, Jourabchi S (2021) The effect of microwave irradiation on the flotation of the selected polymers as a potential solution for plastic recycling. J Polym Environ. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-021-02105-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Reddy MS, Okuda T, Kurose K, Tsai T-Y, Nakai S, Nishijima W, Okada M (2010) Surface ozonation of polyvinyl chloride for its separation from waste plastic mixture by froth floatation. J Mater Cycles Waste Manage 12(4):326–331. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-010-0305-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Mallampati R, Srinivasa, Chi-Hyeonlee, Nguyenthithanhtruc, Byeong-Kyulee. Hazardous PVC plastics separation from ASR by Froth floatation after microwave assisted surface modification; proceedings of the 2015 international conference on advances in environment research, F]

  25. Wang J, Wang H, Yue D (2019) Optimization of surface treatment using sodium hypochlorite facilitates coseparation of ABS and PC from WEEE plastics by flotation. Environ Sci Technol 53(4):2086–2094. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b06432

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Wang J-c, Wang H (2017) Fenton treatment for flotation separation of polyvinyl chloride from plastic mixtures. Sep Purif Technol 187:415–425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2017.06.076

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Guo C, Zou Q, Wang J, Wang H, Chen S, Zhong Y (2018) Application of surface modification using sodium hypochlorite for helping flotation separation of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and polystyrene plastics of WEEE. Waste Manag 82:167–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.10.031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Zhao Y, Han F, Abdelaziz IIM, Liu X, Ghazali KH, Mishra P (2019) Application of biosurfactant tea saponin in flotation separation for ternary plastic mixtures: Statistical optimization and mechanism analysis. J Clean Prod 232:499–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Wang H, Wang CQ, Fu JG, Gu GH (2014) Flotability and flotation separation of polymer materials modulated by wetting agents. Waste Manag 34(2):309–315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.11.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Zhao Y, Yang S, Wen H, Shen Z, Han F (2019) Adsorption behavior and selectivity mechanism of flotation reagents applied in ternary plastic mixtures. Waste Manag 87:565–576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.02.044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Wang CQ, Wang H, Wu BX, Liu Q (2014) Boiling treatment of ABS and PS plastics for flotation separation. Waste Manag 34(7):1206–1210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2014.02.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Zhao Y, Han F, Guo L, Singh S, Zhang H, Zhang J (2021) Flotation separation of hazardous polyvinyl chloride from waste plastics based on green plasma modification. J Clean Prod. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Wang CQ, Wang H, Gu GH, Lin QQ, Zhang LL, Huang LL, Zhao JY (2016) Ammonia modification for flotation separation of polycarbonate and polystyrene waste plastics. Waste Manag 51:13–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2016.02.037

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Cruz A, Couto L, Esplugas S, Sans C (2017) Study of the contribution of homogeneous catalysis on heterogeneous Fe(III)/alginate mediated photo-Fenton process. Chem Eng J 318:272–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2016.09.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Rostamizadeh M, Jalali H, Naeimzadeh F, Gharibian S (2019) Efficient removal of diclofenac from pharmaceutical wastewater using impregnated zeolite catalyst in heterogeneous fenton process. Phys Chem Res 7(1): 37–52 https://doi.org/10.22036/pcr.2018.144779.1524

  36. Zhang Y, Chen S, Wang H, Luo M (2019) Separation of polyvinylchloride and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene combining advanced oxidation by S2O8(2-)/Fe(2+) system and flotation. Waste Manag 91:80–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.04.048

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Wang JC, Wang H, Huang LL, Wang CQ (2017) Surface treatment with Fenton for separation of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and polyvinylchloride waste plastics by flotation. Waste Manag 67:20–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.05.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Qu YH, Li YP, Zou XT, Xu KW, Xue YT (2020) Microwave treatment combined with wetting agent for an efficient flotation separation of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) from plastic mixtures. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 23(1):96–106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-020-01099-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Liu S-T, Huang J, Ye Y, Zhang A-B, Pan L, Chen X-G (2013) Microwave enhanced Fenton process for the removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution. Chem Eng J 215–216:586–590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2012.11.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Zhang Y, Jiang H, Wang H, Wang C, Du Y, Wang L (2020) Flotation separation of polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride based on heterogeneous catalytic Fenton and green synthesis of nanoscale zero valent iron (GnZVI). J Clean Prod. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Zhao Y, Li Y-P, Huang J, Liu J, Wang W-K (2015) Rebound and attachment involving single bubble and particle in the separation of plastics by froth flotation. Sep Purif Technol 144:123–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2015.02.016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Zhang Y, Jiang H, Wang H, Wang C (2020) Flotation separation of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and polystyrene in WEEE based on oxidation of active sites. Miner Eng. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2019.106131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Cui Y, Li Y, Wang W, Wang X, Lin J, Mai X, Song G, Naik N, Guo Z (2021) Flotation separation of acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene (ABS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) by potassium permanganate surface modification. Sep Purif Technol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2021.118767

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Wang CQ, Wang H, Huang LL (2017) A novel process for separation of polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride and polymethyl methacrylate waste plastics by froth flotation. Waste Manag 65:3–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.04.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Wang C, Wang H, Liu Y, Huang L (2016) Optimization of surface treatment for flotation separation of polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene terephthalate waste plastics using response surface methodology. J Clean Prod 139:866–872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.08.111

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province (2020JM-236) and the Fund Project of Shanxi Key Laboratory of Land Consolidation (2018-ZD04) for funding this project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Yanta Road#126, Yanta District, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Wentian Li & Yanpeng Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecology in Arid Areas, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Yanpeng Li

  3. Shanxi Key Laboratory of Land Consolidation, Xi’an, 710075, China

    Yanpeng Li

Authors
  1. Wentian Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yanpeng Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yanpeng Li.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOC 30 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, W., Li, Y. Selective flotation separation of polycarbonate from plastic mixtures based on Fenton treatment combined with ultrasonic. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 24, 917–926 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-022-01367-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-022-01367-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation