life cycle assessment of sulphonate derivative of polystyrene waste ...

Proceedings of ECOpole
Vol. 2, No. 1 2008
Wioletta M. BAJDUR 1 and Anna HENCLIK 2
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF SULPHONATE DERIVATIVE
OF POLYSTYRENE WASTE USED
IN SEWAGE COAGULATION PROCESS
EKOLOGICZNA OCENA CYKLU śYCIA POCHODNEJ SULFONOWEJ
ODPADÓW POLISTYRENOWYCH ZASTOSOWANEJ
W PROCESIE KOAGULACJI ŚCIEKÓW
Summary: Intensive scientific researches on waste materials utilisation as source of recyclable materials and in
particular in chemical and energy industries have been carried out around the world and particularly in
industrialised countries since mid-seventies of past century. Contemporary technique allows proposing waste
management solutions nearly in each technology. Yet, it is necessary to consider ecological and also economical
conditions. Production cost of recyclable products is calculated on basis of capital expenditures and operational
costs of wastes processing. Assessment of waste management technology influence on environment can be carried
out with use of available techniques of environmental management - Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is
relatively new technique of environmental aspects assessment; it forms grounds for identification, hierarchy and
also arrangements concerning ways of improvement of environment quality. One of the basic LCA tasks is
examining potential product or product's system influence on environment during the whole life cycle: from raw
materials extraction through production and use untill utilisation. Carrying out researches and analysis with use of
LCA technique allows to manage resources in effective way because it is based on real input and output data of
analysed processes. Correctly performed LCA analysis should include four phases: 1 - establishing the aim and the
scope of the research, 2 - forming input and output database - inventory (system balance analysis, data inventory),
3 - assessment of life cycle impact, 4 - interpretation of the results. In article the authors present the LCA analysis
for production of sodium salt of sulphonate derivative of polystyrene waste materials, which would be used in
coagulation process of selected municipal and industrial wastes. The aim of LCA analysis is the assessment of
influence on environment of developed new technology of selected processes, which consists of chemical
modification of polystyrene wastes and receiving new flocculants types. Researches scope includes modification
process of crumbled polystyrene wastes for receiving sodium salt of sulphonate derivative of polystyrene (of waste
materials) and next its application to coagulation process. Technological assumptions of developed technology
became basis to creation of inventory tables, and then to assessment of the potential influence on environment with
LCA technique using SimaPro. Received data are the basis to ecological and economical assessment of offered new
technological solutions.
Keywords: LCA, polystyrene waste materials, sewage treatment, flocculants
Plastic waste is currently a major source of recycling materials. One of many types of
waste is foamed polystyrene waste (packaging, trays, cups), which is a valuable source of
recyclable raw materials.
For the last few years an attempt to obtain usable products from the above-mentioned
waste types has been made. The result of this research was the producing (during the
process of chemical modification of foamed polystyrene) of substances enhancing the
coagulation process, ie flocculants. Modifying foamed polystyrene waste in order to obtain
effective polyelectrolytes appeared to be the right way to enhance the effectiveness of waste
treatment processes [1-9].
1
Faculty of Management, Czestochowa University of Technology, Armii Krajowej 36B, 42-200 Częstochowa,
email: wiolawb@poczta.onet.pl
2
Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, J. Wybickiego 7, 31-261
Kraków, email: ahenclik@min-pan.krakow.pl

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Wioletta M. Bajdur and Anna Henclik
This article discusses the results of a study testing the influence exerted by the process
of waste coagulation on the environment using the newly developed technology of
obtaining sulphonate derivatives from polystyrene waste. In order to achieve this, the
relatively new method of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was used. LCA forms the grounds
for the identification, hierarchisation and determination of methods to improve the
environmental quality. One of the major tasks of LCA is to examine the potential impact of
a product or a production process on the environment, during the whole life cycle of the
product, from the moment of raw material extraction, through the production, operational
use, until its utilization. Performing analyses according to LCA principles allows the
effective management of resources in respect to ecology, since this method relies on real
input and output data of the given process [10, 11].
In this article an LCA analysis was carried out for the coagulation process of liquid
industrial wastes, mine water from the „Wesoła” mine, using a new type of flocculant -
sodium salt of the sulphonate derivative from polystyrene waste.
Materials and methods
A derivative of the highest percentage of sulphur content was selected for the test, this
derivative was obtained as a result of a synthesis reaction, using foamed polystyrene waste
(food trays) and sulphuric acid, calcium carbonate and sodium carbonate. The selection of
the most efficient product was carried out by performing a test of flocculation using
aluminium sulphate as the coagulant and mine water from the „Wesoła” mine.
The sulphonate derivative from foamed polystyrene waste was obtained by the
sulphonation of foamed polystyrene waste with concentrated H2SO4 acid, according to the
commonly known method of aromatic compound sulphonation. In order to remove excess
sulphuric acid, the process of deacidification with CaCO3 was performed and its products
were precipitated in a form of sodium salts in a reaction with Na2CO3.
In order to test the flocculation properties of the sulphonate derivative from foamed
polystyrene waste, a process using a 1% solution of the coagulant and a 0.1% solution of
the obtained polyelectrolyte was performed. Upon selection of a certain type of sulphonate
derivative from polystyrene waste, an evaluation of the influence of liquid waste treatment
using the new type of flocculant on the environment was performed in accordance with
LCA. The carried out evaluation included four phases: 1 - Goal and Scope, 2 - Life Cycle
Inventory, 3 - Life Cycle Impact Assessment, 4 - Interpretation.
As the goal of the analysis, the establishment of the influence of liquid waste treatment
with the new type of flocculant on the environment was chosen. The range of the research
included the process of the chemical modification of crumbled polystyrene waste resulting
in the obtainment of a sodium salt of a sulphonate derivative from polystyrene waste, and
then using it in the coagulation process.
The technological assumptions of the new type of flocculant production become the
basis of inventory table creation, based on which the potential influence on the environment
was assessed in accordance with the LCA technique, using the SimaPro program.
Discussion of results
The chemical modification of foamed polystyrene waste performed in an excess of
sulphuric acid enabling the obtainment of a sulphonate derivative of a maximal sulphur

Life cycle assessment of sulphonate derivative of polystyrene waste used in sewage coagulation process
content of 13.80% which equals the content of one sulphonic group per one constitutional
unit. For the product obtained from polystyrene waste, a test of the flocculation process for
the chosen liquid waste - mine water from the „Wesoła” mine was performed.
This water was selected based on the fact that sulphonate derivatives from foamed
polystyrene waste are polyelectrolytes of an anionic type, and such polyelectrolytes are
most usable to support the coagulation processes of industrial sewage.
The chemical application of modified foamed polystyrene waste results not only in
reduction of water turbidity, but also in a major decrease of most of the tested
physicochemical parameters of water. The most important and most noticeable in the tested
liquid waste are: a decrease of sulphate and chloride content and a reduction of biochemical
oxygen demand (BOD). The values of pollution indices obtained for these waters after
flocculation processes mean that the treated liquid waste can be drained into watercourses.
Fig. 1. Simplified diagram of processes for „Wesoła” mine water purification, using new type of flocculant.
Source: SimaPro
In relation to this, a processing line for the new flocculant production was designed,
this line includes: sulphonators, agitators, filters, pumps and dryers. The assumed
production level was 100 kg per month. The technological assumptions of the production of
new generation polyelectrolytes have become the basis for the creation of inventory tables
for the flocculant production and for mine water purification. Based on the inventory tables,
the potential influence of the treatment of a specified quantity of sewage on the
environment was assessed. As a functional unit a twenty-four-hour quantity of treated
sewage - ie 20 000 m 3 was chosen. The inventory table of the sewage purification process
included: purified sewage, sodium salt of the polystyrene derivative, make-up water,
electrical power and sediment obtained after the sewage treatment.
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Wioletta M. Bajdur and Anna Henclik
Upon entering the data from the inventory table of the sewage treatment process,
a diagram of raw materials and processes was developed (Fig. 1) using the Eco-indicator
99. The thickness of the arrows is relative to the influence on the environment, thus in the
sewage treatment process the decisive factor, potentially burdening the environment, is the
use of electrical power during the purification process, while the influence of the other
processes is insignificant. The negative value with PS sodium salt proves the positive
influence of this product on the environment, which is a result of using the PS waste for
production.
The results of the analysis have also been presented in the form of a weighing
histogram (Fig. 2), which places the environmental burdens in 3 categories of damage, ie:
• human health
• ecosystem quality
• resources
Fig. 2. Weighing histogram for process of treatment of 20 000 m 3 sewage, using new type of flocculant. Source:
SimaPro
The results of the weighing histogram are presented with scores expressed with
so-called points (Pt), where one point equals the average influence exerted by one European
on the environment in a one-year period.
The decisive factor potentially burdening the environment in all the three damage
categories during the sewage treatment process, is the huge consumption of electrical
power. Further research should be undertaken to evaluate the possibility of reducing
electrical power consumption during the sewage treatment process. In the human health
category another factor of a slight effect is the production of PS sodium salt, because of the
excess of sulphuric acid used in this production process, therefore decreasing the sulphuric
acid quantity should also be considered.
The negative value of the factor in the resources consumption category results from the
fact of saving natural resources, like: natural gas, petroleum used in polystyrene production,
since in this production process polystyrene waste is also used.

Life cycle assessment of sulphonate derivative of polystyrene waste used in sewage coagulation process
Summary
The development of a new type of flocculant is an entirely new look upon the sewage
coagulation process. The flocculants currently used are typical, traditional products, which
are produced using primary raw materials. With the current condition of the environment
and resource availability, the attempt made to use waste from the process of production of
useful products, is favourable both for the environment and the society. Such an approach
to waste management is in accordance with the targets of European Union policy
concerning preventing waste production, its recycling or recovery, in order to reduce its
negative influence on the environment. Another target of EU policy is the universal use of
recycling, enabling the elimination of produced wastes or to use them as substitutes.
During the carried out research, the huge electrical power consumption of the
coagulation process appeared to be the decisive factor potentially burdening the
environment. However, it seems that the level of electrical power consumption does not
depend on the type of flocculant used.
For the next step, a comparison between the flocculants currently used and those newly
obtained should be made, but the greatest problem here is to obtain data concerning the
technology of the currently used flocculants. But the fact that the sodium salt of
a sulphonate derivative from polystyrene waste is produced from a waste material prompts
the imposition of a thesis that introducing this universally into coagulation processes will
result in the obtainment of the most environmentally-friendly technology of waste
treatment.
References
[1] Inagaki Y. et al.: Reclamation of waste polystyrene by sulphonation. Langmuir, 1999, 15, 4171-4175.
[2] Simitzis J. and Fountas D.: Utilization of wastes foam polystyrene as sorbents. J. Appl. Polymer Science,
1995, 55(6), 879-887.
[3] Harland R.S. and Prud’homme R.K.: Polyelectrolytes Gels - Properties, Preparation and Application.
American Chemical Society, Washington DC 1992.
[4] Bajdur W. and Sułkowski W.: Flocculative properties of modified expanded polystyrene wastes. Chem. InŜ.
Ekol., 2000, 7(1-2), 119-127.
[5] Bajdur W. et al.: Effective polyelectrolytes synthesis from expanded polystyrene wastes. Europ. Polymer J.,
2002, 38, 299-304.
[6] Bajdur W.M. and Sułkowski W.W.: Application of modified wastes from phenol-formaldehyde resin and
expanded polystyrene in sewage treatment processes. Macromolecular Symposia, 2003, 202, 325-337.
[7] Sułkowski W. et al.: Preparation and properties of sulphur derivatives from polystyrene waste. Polymer
Degradation and Stability, 90(1) [in press].
[8] March J.: Advanced organic chemistry. Reactions, mechanisms, and structure. Wiley, New York 1992.
[9] Dziennik Ustaw Nr 116 (Polish Acts), Supplement to the Decree of the Ministry of Environmental
Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry, from 05.11.1991, Data of Environmental Pollutant
Concentration in Water [in Polish].
[10] PN-EN ISO 14040:2006 Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Principles and framework
(ISO 14040:2006).
[11] PN-EN ISO 14044:2006 Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Requirements and guidelines
(ISO 14044:2006).
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Wioletta M. Bajdur and Anna Henclik
EKOLOGICZNA OCENA CYKLU śYCIA POCHODNEJ SULFONOWEJ
ODPADÓW POLISTYRENOWYCH ZASTOSOWANEJ
W PROCESIE KOAGULACJI ŚCIEKÓW
Streszczenie: Od połowy lat 70. ubiegłego stulecia prowadzi się na świecie, szczególnie w krajach
uprzemysłowionych, intensywne badania naukowe nad wykorzystaniem odpadów jako źródła surowców
wtórnych, szczególnie w przemyśle chemicznym i energetycznym. Współczesny rozwój techniki pozwala
zaproponować zagospodarowanie odpadów niemal w kaŜdej technologii. Konieczne jest jednak uwzględnienie
uwarunkowań ekologicznych oraz ekonomicznych. Koszty produkcji wyrobów z surowców wtórnych oblicza się
na podstawie nakładów inwestycyjnych i kosztów eksploatacyjnych przerobu odpadów. Ocenę wpływu na
środowisko technologii zagospodarowania odpadów moŜna prowadzić z wykorzystaniem dostępnych technik
zarządzania środowiskowego - np. oceny cyklu Ŝycia (LCA - Life Cycle Assessment). Ocena cyklu Ŝycia jest
stosunkowo nową techniką oceny aspektów środowiskowych; stwarza ona podstawy do identyfikacji,
hierarchizacji oraz ustalenia sposobów poprawy jakości środowiska. Jednym z podstawowych zadań LCA jest
badanie potencjalnych wpływów wyrobu lub systemu wyrobu na środowisko podczas całego cyklu Ŝycia:
począwszy od pozyskania surowców poprzez produkcję, uŜytkowanie aŜ do utylizacji. Prowadzenie badań i analiz
techniką LCA pozwala na efektywne gospodarowanie zasobami pod względem ekologicznym, poniewaŜ korzysta
się z realnych danych wejściowych i wyjściowych analizowanych procesów. Prawidłowo przeprowadzona analiza
LCA powinna obejmować cztery fazy: 1 - ustalenie celu i zakresu badań, 2 - utworzenie zbioru wejść
i wyjść (analiza bilansowa systemu, inwentaryzacja danych), 3 - ocenę wpływu cyklu Ŝycia, 4 - interpretację
wyników. W artykule przeprowadzono analizę LCA dla produkcji soli sodowej sulfonowych pochodnych
(odpadowego) polistyrenu, która będzie wykorzystana w procesie koagulacji wody dołowej z kopalni węgla
kamiennego. Celem analizy LCA jest ocena wpływu na środowisko opracowanej nowej technologii wybranych
procesów polegającej na chemicznej modyfikacji odpadów polistyrenowych i otrzymania nowego typu
flokulantów. Zakres badań obejmuje proces modyfikacji rozdrobnionych odpadów polistyrenowych do uzyskania
soli sodowej pochodnej sulfonowej polistyrenu, a następnie wykorzystania jej do procesu koagulacji. ZałoŜenia
technologiczne opracowanej technologii stały się podstawą do stworzenia tablic inwentarzowych, na podstawie
których określono techniką LCA potencjalny wpływ na środowisko, wykorzystując program SimaPro. Uzyskane
wyniki badań stanowią podstawę do oceny ekologicznej nowych rozwiązań technologicznych.
Słowa kluczowe: LCA, odpady polistyrenowe, oczyszczanie ścieków, flokulanty