POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN POLYSTYRENE DERIVED PYROLYSIS OIL

Polystyrene plastic waste was pyrolysed in a static batch reactor with secondary cracking of the volatile products at 500, 600 and 700-degrees-C. The condensed pyrolysis oil was analysed for its content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The oils were high in styrene, styrene oligomers and alkylated derivatives. In addition, the oil contained PAH in high concentration, some of which were of known biological activity. The PAH were found to increase with increasing pyrolysis temperature. Catalytic upgrading of the oils using zeolite ZSM-5 reduced the concentration of styrene oligomers and increased the concentration of PAH.