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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Site-Selective Polyolefin Hydrogenolysis on Atomic Ru for Methanation Suppression and Liquid Fuel Production

Catalytic hydrogenolysis of end-of-life polyolefins can produce value-added liquid fuels and therefore holds great promises in plastic waste reuse and environmental remediation. The major challenge limiting the recycling economic benefit is the severe methanation (usually >20%) induced by terminal C–C cleavage and fragmentation in polyolefin chains. Here, we overcome this challenge by demonstrating that Ru single-atom catalyst can effectively suppress methanation by inhibiting terminal C–C cleavage and preventing chain fragmentation that typically occurs on multi-Ru sites. The Ru single-atom catalyst supported on CeO 2 shows an ultralow CH 4 yield of 2.2% and a liquid fuel yield of over 94.5% with a production rate of 314.93 g fuels g Ru -1 h -1 at 250 °C for 6 h. Such remarkable catalytic activity and selectivity of Ru single-atom catalyst in polyolefin hydrogenolysis offer immense opportunities for plastic upcycling.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Session 097C - Panel: Reuse of Federal Land on the Oak Ridge Reservation, TN (3/4) (R.16c)

This panel was to focus on what is being done to enable federal reuse across the DOE's Oak Ridge Reservation, including how the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee (CROET) plays a critical role, how the community is benefiting, and the experience of the private sector companies now occupying the site. The Panelists were to discuss how resources from the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) are being transitioned to support cleanup efforts that enable critical NNSA and Office of Science missions. This session integrated with panel sessions 97A, 97B, and 97D. Panelists with presentations: Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee (CROET) (Ryan Overton); Community Perspective (Ron Woody); ETTP Tenant Point of View (Bradley Spears); Enabling NNSA and Office of Science Missions (Stephen Phillips); Enabling Federal Land Reuse (David Adler)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Evaluation of Load Behavior for Select Analytes in Hanford Tank Waste

Crystalline silicotitanate (CST) inorganic ion exchanger is a candidate material for remediation of highly alkaline (pH > 14) aqueous nuclear waste streams containing high sodium concentrations (>5 M). In this work, ion exchange column testing with wastes from Hanford tanks AP-105, AP-107, and AW-102 was carried out to study the uptake of 137 Cs to estimate the decontamination factor (DF) value. Additionally, DF values for uptake of Al, Ca, Pb, Np, Pu, U, and Sr were determined and the ion exchange capacity of CST toward these analytes was estimated. Limited data is available on the load behavior of other minor and trace elements with recent CST production lots and this characterization will help improve understanding of the behavior of CST and assist in identifying potential disposition pathways as well as assessing removal capabilities of CST for other components.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Characterization of the Sulfur-Saturated Melt Versions of the HFG1 Study Glasses

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for building the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) at the Hanford Site in Washington to remediate 55 million gallons of radioactive waste that is temporarily stored in 177 underground tanks. The Office of River Protection (ORP) has requested that the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) contribute to current glass studies to support successful startup of the WTP, due to SRNL’s recognized capabilities and expertise for glass waste form development. As part of this effort, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is developing, batching, and fabricating simulated high-level waste (HLW) glasses to generate the associated property data needed to validate or identify areas of potential characterization improvements in the current glass property/ composition models. Currently, the models cover only a small fraction of the waste compositions projected in the Hanford tank farm; therefore, the models must be expanded to include high fluoride compositions to successfully complete the WTP mission. SRNL support of this work is defined in the Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan (TTQAP). This report provides results from the chemical analyses of a series of sulfur-saturated melt (SSM) versions of simulated nuclear waste glasses fabricated at PNNL. The glasses were selected as part of a broader study of the influence of glass composition on chemical durability, sulfur retention, and other properties. The glasses were designated the High Fluoride Glasses-1 (HLG1).

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2021

Product Consistency Test Results for the HFG1 Glasses

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for building the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) at the Hanford site in Washington to remediate 55 million gallons of radioactive waste that is temporarily stored in 177 underground tanks. The Office of River Protection (ORP) has requested that the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) contribute in areas of recognized capabilities and expertise for glass waste form development to support successful startup of the WTP. As part of this effort, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is developing, batching, and fabricating simulated high-level waste (HLW) glasses to generate the associated property data needed to validate or identify areas of potential characterization improvement in the current glass property/composition models. Currently, the models cover only a small fraction of the waste compositions projected in the Hanford tank farm; therefore, the models must be expanded to include high fluoride compositions to successfully complete the WTP mission. SRNL support of this work is defined in the Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan (TTQAP). This report provides the results of the Product Consistency Test (PCT) leachates from the High Fluoride Glasses-1 (HFG1), a series of simulated nuclear waste glasses fabricated at PNNL. The series included quenched (Q) and canister-centerline cooled (CCC) versions of the glasses. The glasses were selected as part of a broader study of the influence of glass composition on chemical durability, sulfur retention, and other properties. These data will be used to validate or identify areas of potential characterization improvements in the current glass property/composition models.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Viscosity Measurements of the HLW APPS Glasses

The U.S. Department of Energy is responsible for building the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) at the Hanford site in Washington to remediate 56 million gallons of radioactive waste historically stored in 177 underground tanks. The Office of River Protection has requested that the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) contribute in areas of recognized capabilities and expertise for glass waste form development to support successful startup of the WTP. SRNL support of this work is defined in the Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan.1 This report provides results from viscosity measurements on a series of simulated nuclear waste glasses designed and fabricated at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The glasses were designated the high-level waste – Aspen Process Performance Simulation (HLW-APPS) study glasses. The data provided in this report is to be used in the development, validation, and implementation of enhanced property/composition models for nuclear waste glasses.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2021

Quantification of Raman-Interfering Polyoxoanions for Process Analysis: Comparison of Different Chemometric Models and a Demonstration on Real Hanford Waste

The Hanford site represents a complicated environmental remediation challenge, remaining from the production of nuclear weapons. Over 100 million gallons of liquid radioactive waste of unknown composition will be chemically processed and vitrified, but the varying chemical composition and highly radioactive nature of the waste preclude the implementation of more developed, offline technologies to determine the composition. The only practical approach to waste treatment will require the significant utilization of real-time, chemometric modeling approaches. Although chemometric approaches have been applied to the analysis of Hanford waste, the models developed were highly tank-specialized, and limited discussion was provided on how models fared with interfering signals. As the tank waste is largely composed of oxoanions, which tend to have interfering Raman spectra, the general question was posed as to what chemometric approach is best suited to accurately quantify analytes in the presence of interfering signals. This was carried out by examining the ability of classical least square (CLS), principal component regression (PCR), partial least square (PLS), and locally weighted regression (LWR) to quantify NO 3 – and CO 3 2– using their bands around 1050 cm –1 . Finally, for all samples, the PLS-based model was found to be the most efficient approach from a model building and application perspective.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Process-based cost estimation framework for assessing economic viability of environmentally and socially sustainable rare earth element feedstocks

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are critical raw material inputs that are required to enable the energy transition. Constraints on the U.S. supply of conventional REE feedstocks and the desire to diversify U.S. reliance on foreign supply chains have motivated the pursuit of REE recovery from unconventional feedstocks including waste products. Recovery of REEs from unconventional sources is also motivated by environmental and social considerations, including the potential to offset new mining activity and subsidize the remediation of REE-containing wastes from coal, natural gas, and other mineral extraction activities. Sourcing REEs from unconventional feedstocks would reduce supply chain constraints and minimize the environmental impacts of REE extraction, but current processes to exploit these feedstocks have uncertain technical and economic performance and the processes have not been demonstrated at scale. This work aims to reduce uncertainty in evaluating the performance of new REE production pathways. A database of operating and capital expenses for REE recovery and establish consistent process unit costs for common stages in the conventional supply chain are developed. Market prices are used to develop well-defined methods for determining product values for a diverse set of products that can be generated (e.g. oxalates, alloys, end-use products such as magnets) but are not typically considered in technoeconomic analyses. Finally, to provide insight on the effects of economies of scale and feedstock purity on capital and operating costs, process unit level cost functions relating total costs per kilogram of REE produced are reported. These tools can be applied to assess and facilitate scale-up of REE production from diverse sources of REEs.

Fritz, Alison↗
DOE OSTI2020

Whose Gas is it anyway? Differentiating the Source of a Large Soil Vapor Plume beneath Two Adjacent Waste Sites - 20487

DOE contractor CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company is currently responsible for conducting groundwater contamination monitoring at several RCRA treatment, storage, and disposal units located on the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington State. The Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill treatment, storage, and disposal unit presents a distinct groundwater monitoring problem because of a large multi-contaminant soil vapor plume beneath it that is a likely source of low-level volatile organic compound groundwater contamination. Adjacent to Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill is the Solid Waste Landfill. Volatile organic compounds are inventory components of both the Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill and the Solid Waste Landfill. Therefore, it is possible that both sites could be contributing to the soil vapor plume. For regulatory purposes, it is important to differentiate which site is the primary contributor of volatile organic compounds to the plume. An approach was developed to identify the primary volatile organic compound source of the soil vapor plume beneath Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill and Solid Waste Landfill. The site conceptual model hypothesis of vapor-phase volatile organic compound transport to the dissolved phase in groundwater was tested by a simple mathematical model of vapor/liquid equilibrium concentrations at the groundwater/air interface. Once it was shown that vapor-phase volatile organic compound transport to groundwater was a valid conceptual model for Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill and Solid Waste Landfill, spatial and statistical methods were used to determine the primary site contributing to the majority of volatile organic compounds to the soil vapor plume. Average groundwater chloroform, tetrachloroethene, and trichloroethene concentrations from Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill and Solid Waste Landfill monitoring network wells were plotted on maps of the facilities and immediate vicinities and compared to soil vapor sampling probe locations. Principal component analysis and mixing ratios were used to identify source contributions of each treatment, storage, and disposal unit to the plume. Results of the vapor/liquid equilibrium concentrations mathematical model showed that transport phenomena outweigh steady-state equilibria. Estimated vapor/liquid equilibrium concentrations were considerably lower than soil vapor measurements. The results indicate that dynamic vadose zone and groundwater factors such as decreased vapor concentrations with depth, vapor dilution from dispersion in the vadose zone, and advective and diffusional volatile organic compound dilution in groundwater result in groundwater volatile organic compound concentrations much less than would be measured under steady-state equilibrium conditions. Site source contribution differentiation by principal component analysis and mixing ratios was inconclusive using actual soil gas data because of the similarity in concentration values in both datasets for Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill and Solid Waste Landfill. Similar data populations suggest mixing of the vapor contributions from both sites by dispersion through the soil matrix pore spaces. However, when groundwater volatile organic compound data were compared between the Nonradioactive Dangerous Waste Landfill and Solid Waste Landfill monitoring networks, Solid Waste Landfill mean concentrations were higher, suggesting more vapor-phase volatile organic compound transport to groundwater at those locations. Simulated volatile organic compound soil vapor and groundwater datasets created to test the methods developed for this study show that the method can be successful in source differentiation when significantly different datasets are compared. This paper will describe a method of testing a conceptual model for vapor-phase contaminant transport to groundwater and for differentiating site sources of contaminants comprising a mixed-constituent soil vapor plume. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Impact of Permanganate Oxidation of Glycolate on Corrosion of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Recycle Collection Tank (RCT), Transfer-line and Waste Tank Materials of Construction (MoC)

Savannah River Remediation (SRR) is evaluating the use of glycolic acid to replace formic acid as an alternate reductant for the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at Savannah River Site (SRS). The replacement is aimed at reducing facility hazards, improving pH stability and rheological control, and lowering off gas production. Glycolate, which is the product that may remain, can also be carried downstream to High-Level Waste and Low-Level Waste facilities. Complete oxidation of glycolate and other organic species from the Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) may be necessary to minimize thermolytic hydrogen generation that can cause flammability issues. The glycolate oxidation may be performed in the Recycle Collection Tank (RCT). The RCT heel would be adjusted with sodium hydroxide to maintain the solution caustic and sodium nitrite as corrosion inhibitor prior to the addition of condensate that can be from the contents of the Slurry Mix Evaporator Condensate Tank (SMECT) or Offgas Condensate Tank (OGCT). The RCT tank collects the waste to be transferred via the Low Point Pump Pit – Recycle Pump Tank (LPPP-RPT) through a jacketed transfer-line to the Tank Farm facility. Scoping studies were performed to evaluate an oxidizing agent and sodium permanganate was selected as the best option for glycolate destruction. Testing was recommended to determine the impact on the Materials of Construction (MoC) due to the addition of sodium permanganate. The targeted concentration of sodium permanganate used equated to a 7:1 molar permanganate to glycolate ratio (nominally 0.002 M permanganate). However, to conservatively maximize the permanganate corrosivity, in some cases no glycolate was added.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Strontium Speciation in Relevant Tank Waste Components Examined by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The identification of chemical species formed in complex nuclear waste is crucial for the development and employment of advanced separations technologies to remediate the Hanford site by processing tank waste. The current Tank Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) process deployed at Hanford utilizes crystalline silicotitanate (CST) ion exchange (IX) media to aid in the separation of low-activity waste for proper treatment and disposal. The inorganic IX media is highly selective for Cs but has been shown to also remove Sr from caustic simulants and small-scale IX processing of Hanford tank waste.(Fiskum, Rovira et al. 2019, Fiskum, Campbell et al. 2021, Westesen, Campbell et al. 2022) Quantitative Sr removal has not been observed in all tank waste supernates tested; thus, to better understand Sr removal and effectively predict processing behavior through TSCR, it is necessary to first investigate Sr speciation in tank waste. This work utilized electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) to identify ionic Sr complexes that form in the presence of NO 3 –, NO 2 –, OH–, and Cl–. Although our results show that NO 3 –, NO 2 –, and OH– are competitive for Sr 2+ binding, previous data from IX studies indicate that [SrOH] + is not the dominant species of concern in tank waste processing schemes.(Fiskum, Campbell and Trang-Le 2020) Our results show that the [Sr(NO3)]+ species and the [Sr(NO2)] + species form in considerable abundances, which may affect the ability to separate Sr using CST in nuclear waste separation processes.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Life cycle Management of 324 Project High-Activity, Mixed/Low-Level Radioactive Waste - 20506

U.S. DOE contractor CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) manages the 324 Building and is preparing to remotely excavate and disposition the radioactive soil beneath the building to allow further deactivation of the building. The 324 Building is a non-reactor Category 2 Nuclear Facility located in the 300 Area of the Hanford Site. Records indicate that in October 1986, approximately 516 liters of a concentrated liquid waste stream containing cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) and strontium-90 ({sup 90}Sr) spilled onto the floor of a hot cell, B-Cell, in the 324 Building. The spill contained an estimated 1.3 million curies (Ci) of radioactivity. A breach in the sump of B-Cell was discovered in November 2009 during characterization of the soil under the building. Exposure rates in excess of 10,000 R/hr were detected through a system of access pipes installed under the hot cell, and an estimated 1.557 E+05 Ci of {sup 137}Cs and 6.842 E+04 Ci of {sup 90}Sr are in the soil beneath B-Cell. The magnitude of the soil contamination below B-Cell represents one of the most challenging remediation activities in the DOE complex. The objective of CHPRC's 324 Project is to remotely excavate and disposition the highly contaminated soil under the hot cell so building deactivation and stabilization activities can resume. Depending on the volume and radioactivity of contaminated soil under B-Cell, the material will be dispositioned either at the Hanford Site's Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF) or in grout monoliths that will be created in the hot cells (A, C and D) next to B-Cell during future building demolition activities. The current project scope includes installing structural supports under the walls of B-Cell and using remotely operated equipment to remove debris from the hot cell, remove debris mixed with grout on the floor, saw through and remove the cell floor and liner, and excavate contaminated soil under B-Cell to a depth of up to 3.66 meters (12 feet). Addition or removal of debris in A-Cell may be required to support B-Cell cleanout and excavation activities. The base approach is to disposition debris and soil bins in the Radiochemical Engineering Cell (REC) monoliths, and subsequently disposition the monoliths during building demolition. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Savannah River Site Composite Analysis (FY2019 Annual Review)

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is a Department of Energy (DOE) site encompassing approximately 310 square miles in South Carolina. It is bounded on the southwest by the Savannah River (SR) and is situated approximately 12 miles south of Aiken, South Carolina, and 15 miles southeast of Augusta, Georgia. Construction of and subsequent operations at the SRS began in 1951 under the direction of the Atomic Energy Commission. The primary mission of the SRS was to produce tritium and plutonium for the national nuclear weapons complex. Between 1953 and 1955, SRS brought five reactors and various support facilities into operation in support of its primary mission. Support facilities included two chemical separations plants, a heavy water extraction plant, a nuclear fuel and target fabrication facility, a tritium extraction facility and waste management facilities. With the declining need for a large nuclear weapons stockpile since the end of the Cold War, many SRS facilities no longer produce or process nuclear materials. All reactors were shut down by 1993. However, the SRS Tritium Extraction Facility continues to supply DOE with tritium. Additionally, operations at the K-Area Complex currently provide interim safe storage for much of DOE’s excess plutonium (Pu) and high enriched uranium, in a building which formerly housed K Reactor. As the SRS mission has changed, many surplus facilities are being dispositioned safely and economically. SRS has completed extensive decommissioning activities in D-Area, M-Area, P-Area, R-Area, and T-Area, with groundwater (GW) remediation ongoing. High-level waste tanks continue to be emptied and closed.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Compact, High-Power Superconducting Electron Linear Accelerators for MW Industrial Applications

Fermilab has developed a novel concept for an industrial electron linac using Nb₃Sn coating technology and conduction cooling. We will show the range of multi-cavity linac designs targeted toward various applications. We will also discuss technology development status with results on conduction cooling of SRF cavities based on cryocoolers, which removes the need for liquid Helium, thus making SRF technology accessible to industrial applications. These conduction-cooled linacs can generate electron beam energies up to 10 MeV in continuous-wave operation and can reach higher power (>=1 MW) by combing several modules. Compact and light enough to mount on mobile platforms, our machine is anticipated to enable new in-situ environmental remediation applications such as waste-water treatment for urban areas, X-ray medical device sterilization, and innovative pavement applications. We also show cost-economics and key R&D areas that much be addressed for a practical machine.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Blast furnace slag reactions in various solutions (Interim Report)

Blast furnace slag (BPS) is a critical component of grout formulations for the remediation of low activity nuclear waste. This interim report describes the initial results of a study designed to investigate the fundamental mechanisms of BPS dissolution. The goal of the work is to delineate the physicochemical aspects of the slag that impart beneficial properties to grout formulations to enable the consistent production of a slag-replacement material (“designer slag”) that performs better than what is commercially available. This report documents the dissolution experiments that were conducted using nine different initial solution compositions. Solution measurements for each solution, including pH and solution composition, are given for 1, 7, 14, 28, and 56 day intervals samples. Scanning electron microscopy images are presented for the 56 day samples from each of the solutions. Inferences about reaction mechanisms and 56-day mineralogy are made based on the information collected to date. Some conclusions are made based on the work performed for this interim report, and a path forward including the strategy for making stronger conclusions based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses is presented.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Design of a high-power compact SRF linac for industrial applications of e-beam irradiation

Fermilab has developed a novel concept for an industrial electron linac using Nb3Sn coating technology and conduction cooling. These conduction-cooled linacs can generate electron beam energies up to 10 MeV in continuous-wave operation and reach higher power (>=1 MW) by combing several modules. Compact and light enough to mount on mobile platforms, our machine is anticipated to enable new in-situ environmental remediation applications such as waste-water treatment for urban areas, X-ray medical device sterilization, and innovative pavement applications. We highlight a few aspects of a 1 MW design of such a machine in this paper. A detailed plan is in Dhuley et al. (2022) Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 25, 041601.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Panel Session 129: Perspectives (US and Non-US) on the Use of Risk and Dose Assessment Tools (R9.3)

This panel focused on various dose and risk assessment tools for assessments, Deactivation and Decommissioning, remediation, and closure of sites of chemical and radioactive wastes. Representatives from the US government agencies, non-US countries and their representative regulatory bodies or authorities, as well as performance/risk assessment practitioners compared and contrasted the various guidance from regulatory agencies and authorities on how tools such as the Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRG) calculator, the Dose Compliance Concentrations (DCC) calculator, and Residual Radioactivity (RESRAD) should be used in support of analyses and decisions for environmental cleanup activities. Panelists with presentations: Cumulative Impact Evaluation: Innovative Tools for Evaluation of Groundwater Protection (Alaa Aly); Superfund Evaluation Process for Alternative Risk and Dose Models (with Focus on EPA and DOE Tools) (Stuart Walker); NRC Staff Perspective on Risk-Informed Approach and Reasonable Safety Assurance in D and D and LLW (Rateb (Boby) Abu Eid)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2026

Electrochemical Deconstruction of Ortho-Phthalate Plasticizers and Recovery of Plasticizing Moieties

Electrochemical methods for the direct reduction of alkyl esters have been understudied but provide a potential advantage for addressing specific waste streams given that such strategies often require only a minimal chemical profile. One such waste stream that could benefit from electrochemical remediation is poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) plastics. PVC recycling often faces challenges due to the complexity of such waste. Solvent-based recycling methods pose several advantages for addressing post-use PVC; however, such methods are complicated by the high amounts of toxic legacy plasticizers (ortho-phthalates) present in PVC. A potential solution to addressing such phthalates is to address them electrochemically, coupled with recovery of the resulting valuable products. Presented herein is an optimized electrochemical method for ester activation that is leveraged to separate and recover the aromatic and alkyl components of ortho-phthalate plasticizers. The resulting aliphatic alcohols may be reused to prepare other non-toxic plasticizers. This electro-degradation method is demonstrated on six phthalates that have been identified to pose health concerns in addition to plasticizers recovered from commercial samples of PVC.

di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate↗