Discharged chemical cocktail
Researchers in Portugal use atomic absorption spectroscopy to identify the chemical cocktail of gases released when used alkaline batteries are incinerated
Many devices and toys are sold with a pack of short-life, non-rechargeable, batteries, which ultimately end up in household waste incineration plants if they do not reach a landfill. The quantitative evaluation of emissions from waste incineration is a critical component of complete life-cycle assessment studies of essentially non-recyclable products, such as alkaline batteries.
With this in mind, a team led by Manuel Almeida of the faculty of engineering, at the University of Porto, in Portugal, simulated the waste-incineration process of samples of AA alkaline batteries of the kind used to power everyday gadgets such as motorised toys, small flashlights and telephones.1 Components of such batteries with desirable recyclable materials are: the cathode, which contains manganese dioxide and graphite; the can, comprising a nickel-plated steel cathode collector; an anode containing zinc and zinc oxide; and potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte.
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