Evaluation of Non-toxic Solvents in the Surface Finishing Industry

Abstract

Current trends in regulation have produced the inclination in industry towards the use of solvents which are not regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Many of these non-regulated replacement solvents are nonhalogenated. There is, however, a genuine concern that regulated, halogenated byproducts may be formed upon the chlorination of these solvents. Waste streams containing these solvents face a probability of chlorination in disinfection and in cyanide oxidation. The goal of this research was to determine what regulated compounds might be formed under the conditions which might prevail in the chlorination of these solvent laden waste streams. A survey of chemical vendors was completed in the Fall of 1989 to identify non-halogenated solvents on the market which are potential substitutes for regulated products. Four products were selected for experimental evaluation: 1. Monoterpene. 2. Alkaline Cleaner. 3. Glycol Ether. 4. N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The products were determined to be biodegradable. Chlorination by-products were identified to include regulated compounds (Total Toxic Organics, TTO) in a concentration range of several hundred parts per billion. Chloroform, methylene chloride, and bromodichloromethane were the most common chlorination by products. The disinfection experiments generated a large number of other unidentified by-products which are not currently included on the TTO list. Further study is recommended for full characterization of these additional chlorination by-products.

Notes

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Graduation Date

1990

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Dietz, John D.

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Engineering

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Degree Program

Environmental Engineering

Format

PDF

Pages

108 p.

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0027266

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Engineering; Engineering -- Dissertations, Academic

Accessibility Status

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