Detailed Characterization of Chlorides and Oxides in Plastic Waste Pyrolysis Oil from Paper Mills by GC-ECD and GC-MS with Solid Phase Extraction

Identification of heteroatom compounds containing chlorine and oxygen in plastic waste pyrolysis oil (PWPO) is significant for processing. A quantitative method for 32 chlorinated hydrocarbons in PWPO was established by a gas chromatography-electron capture detector. Eight chlorinated hydrocarbons were found in PWPO, accounting for 14.0% of the total chlorine, with 1,2-dichloroethane having the highest amount. 73 compounds in the polar fraction of PWPO were identified using solid phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The proportions of these compounds in the polar fraction decreased in the order of esters, nitriles, ketones, acids (including anhydride), chloroesters, phenols, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, trienes, and siloxanes. The polar fraction contained nine chlorides. All of these chlorides were in the form of 2-chloroethyl ester, and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, di-2-chloroethyl ester, had the highest proportion among the nine chlorides. Finally, the formation pathways of 2-chloroethyl esters were illustrated. These results would provide support for the development of a clean processing technology for PWPO.