WEEE recycling Pyrolysis of fire retardant model polym 2005 Waste Managemen

Pyrolysis treatments of model polymers were conducted to study the recycling of electronic waste containing brominated flame retardants. This study focused on high impact polystyrene and epoxy resins, which were subjected to pyrolysis in both flow and closed systems. Analytical techniques, specifically FT–IR spectroscopy and GC–MS, were employed to evaluate the pyrolysis products, while the extraction of bromine was monitored with a bromine ion specific electrode. The research also explored the effect of alkali treatment on the pyrolysis process, revealing its efficacy in reducing bromine levels in the oil and volatile products derived from epoxy resin, thereby facilitating the recovery of bromine from the residual material. In contrast, alkali treatment showed limited effectiveness for styrene polymers with brominated flame retardants. The findings underline the potential for thermal treatment in recycling processes aimed at minimizing toxic by-products while recovering valuable materials, particularly in the context of WEEE processing.