Effects of Temperature and Landfill Ageing on leaching and Degradation of Phtalates from a Poly(vinyl chloride) Carpet under Simulated Landfill Conditions

•   Phthalic ether esters are a group of chemicals used in the manufacture of PVC plastics, often as plasticizing additives, hence they may leach from the material and/or finished products before, during and after their use. This article presents results from laboratory-scale investigations of the fates of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and benzyl-butyl phthalate (BBP) under simulated landfill conditions, in custom-designed incubation units filled with model municipal solid waste. More specifically, the effects of temperature and landfill degradation phase on both the leaching and degradation potential of the two phthalates from a PVC carpet were examined, by measuring them in samples from units maintained at 20, 37, 55 and 70°C as they progressed through anaerobic acidogenic and methanogenic landfill phases. The results show that both BBP and DEHP leached from the carpet. For DEHP there was a clear temperature effect, and the highest losses were observed at 70°C, while for BBP slight increases in losses with temperature were observed from 20 to 55°C, and from 55 to 70°C, but the largest losses were seen at 37°C, probably due to biodegradation. Further degradation of the leached phthalates occured at all temperatures. Apparent degradation products observed included phthalic acid (PA) and mono (2-ethylhexyl)-, monobutyl- and monobenzyl-phthalate. In all cases the biological degradation of the phthalates occurred mainly after the systems switched to methanogenic conditions. The rate-limiting step of degradation in the 20 and 37°C units seemed to be the transformation of the monoesters, which tended to accumulate more than PA, while at 55 and 70°C PA accumulated to a higher extent.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Environmental chemistry

Miljökemi

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