Plastic waste GCxGC Micropyrolysis Method development PET
Abstract:
The need for a plastic waste solution is becoming evermore dire each year. Plastics use
continues to increase without an efficient method of handling the vast waste generated. Pyrolysis
has emerged as a promising method to handle the waste and create a circular economy by
producing useful chemicals. However, pyrolysis still needs extensive research. Micropyrolysis
aims to study the kinetics of converting plastic to its various byproducts. During micropyrolysis
experiments, it is paramount to analyze each product. Two-dimensional gas chromatography
(GCxGC) may be utilized to separate each analyte but first must be optimized through method
development. Method development encompasses every parameter with the GCxGC system and
detectors. This study investigated the impact of modulation time and oven program. A
modulation time of 4.7 seconds yields the best results, but a 4.5 second modulation should be
used, as well, to identify minor products lost in the system. The oven program that provided the
best results was a 40 °C hold for 2 minutes, followed by a 3 °C per minute ramp to 300 °C at
which the temperature was held for 10 minutes. This method provided the best separation
without causing wraparound. With these results, the method may be utilized in micropyrolysis
studies.