As there is no current technique to effectively separate microplastics by plastic type, they cannot be properly recycled. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) releases toxins into the air upon heating and creates a structurally weak product when recycled with other plastics. This project proposes the use of froth flotation as a potential scheme to successfully separate PVC from binary plastic mixtures to allow for safe recycling. A variety of parameters were tested to optimize the process such as surfactant concentration, flotation time, conditioning time, agitation speed, and particle size. It was found that PVC can be separated at high recovery, but more testing must be done to reach the purity needed to recycle plastic. Other factors such as cost and sustainability were also discussed.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Carpenter, Kayla
• Mesick, Paige
• Eppinger, Lauren

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 121645
• E-project-042524-095352

Advisor

• Moody, Rebecca
• Abu-Lail, Laila

Year

• 2024

Date created

• 2024-04-25

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Environmental Engineering
• Chemical Engineering

Source

• E-project-042524-095352

Rights statement

• In Copyright