Direct Research Journal of Public Health and Environmental Technology

Abstract

Plastics are polymers containing mostly carbon, hydrogen, and a few other elements. It contributes significantly to the problem of waste management due to its non-biodegradable nature. Conversion of waste plastics into a value-added product is therefore a viable solution. Waste plastic materials, polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) were subjected to thermal cracking with the aid of a laboratory-scale batch reaction. Eggshell was added as a catalyst, a control was set-up without a catalyst. The hydrocarbon oil obtained was analyzed using GC-FID, (5890 series II) Gas chromatograph. Analysis of the oil obtained showed that the mixture of plastics (PP and PS), gave the highest yield. Most of the hydrocarbons were in the range of C₄-C₁₂ which falls within the composition of commercial petrol. The use of this technology thus proffers a solution to the problem of combating plastic waste in addition to poverty alleviation.

Keywords: Waste plastics, catalytic conversion, hydrocarbon oil, gas chromatography