• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.38-49
• /
• 2015

The importance of recycling came to the fore by increasing of waste electrical and electronic equipment(WEEE) generation. Small WEEE recycling in particular represents a big challenge in Korea because it has various items and components. Main materials of small WEEE are typically well known for metals (copper, iron, aluminum, etc.), PCBs and plastics. Not only Korea but also overseas, the laws for small WEEE were in effect in order to recycle effectively, but the technology is not catched up with the regulation which has to recycle an allocated account of WEEE. In addition, recycling technologies and processes for small WEEE are not developed enough to recycling center properly. In that sense, if we develope the recycling process, have not only technology competitiveness but also resource conservation, improving the environment and economic profits. Therefore, through the analysis of economic value of recycled small WEEE, and current technologies both domestically and internationally, we design conceptual recycling process of small WEEE, and consider the way forward.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.29-35
• /
• 2001

This study was carried out to recover gold, silver and valuable metals from the printed circuit boards (PCBs) of waste computers. PCBs samples were crushed under 1 mm by a shredder and separated into 30% conducting and loft nonconducting materials by an electrostatic separator. The conducting materials contained valuable metals which were then used as feed materials for magnetic separation. 42% of magnetic materials from the conducting materials was removed by magnetic separation as nonvaluable materials and the others, 58% of non magnetic materials, was used as leaching samples containing 0.227 mg/g Au and 0.697 mg/g Ag. Using the materials of leaching from magnetic separation, more than 95% of copper, iron, zinc, nickel and aluminium was dissolved in 2.0M sulfuric acid solution, added with 0.2M hydrogen peroxide at $85^{\circ}C$. Au and Ag were not extracted in this solution. On the other hand, more than 95% of gold and 100% of silver were leached by the selective leaching with a mixed solvent (0.2M($NH_4$)$_2$$S_2$$O_3$,0.02M $CuSO_4$,0.4M $NH_4$OH). Finally, the residues were reacted with a NaCl solution to leach Pb whereas sulfuric acid was used to leach Sn. Recoveries reached 95% and 98% in solution, respectively.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2006.04a
• /
• pp.75-78
• /
• 2006

Disposal of highly toxic wastes like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is very difficult. These substances create a growing mountain of problematic waste that has to be disposed properly. Conventional technologies that are based on common burning(rotary kiln, ${\sim}1100^{\circ}C$) and plasma technology(${\sim}10000^{\circ}C$) do not satisfy important conditions. for example, complete combustion of the toxic waste and the price of waste disposal. The combustor like a rocket engine is operated at relatively high pressure(${\sim}15$ bar) and relatively high temperature(>$3000^{\circ}C$) that are ideal for the complete destruction of extremely toxic substances. In this study, test compound($_o-DCB$) was dissolved in kerosine with a concentration of 10%. Pure gas oxygen was used as an oxidant. Analysis showed that the destruction efficiency achieved for ${o}-DCB$ was 99.9999% or better. The results show that a combustor based on liquid propllant rocket technology is a validated tool for the disposal of highly toxic waste, and a good alternative technology when applied to the destruction of extremely toxic wastes.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.11-17
• /
• 2000

There are among the most relevant toxic emissions from incinerators such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Induction of cytochrome P4501A1 catalyzed 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase(EROD) activity in mammalian cell culture(EROD bioassay) is thought to be a selective and sensitive parameter used for the quantification of dioxin-like components. In this study, the toxic emissions from several school waste incinerators were evaluated by determination of CYPIA catalytic activity and cytotoxicity using cell culture microbioassay. The incinerator residue and soil samples were collected from the schools located in Kyunggi province from April to June 1999. The samples were extracted in a Soxhlet apparatus using toluene for 20 hours. In order to clean-up, concentrated crude extracts were applied to basic alumina column. The EROD activities of extracts in the H4IIE cells were from 1.91$\pm$0.32 ng-TEQ/g to 24.54$\pm$3.48 ng-TEQ/g of biochemical-TEQ value. In soil samples, CYP1A catalytic activity was 0.09~0.64 ng-TEQ/g. EROD bioassay, seems to be a useful short-term bioassay when information about the biological response of complex environmental samples is needed. Although further study is needed, these results indicate that the potent toxic emissions are produced from school waste semi-incinerators.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.319-327
• /
• 2007

Incineration has been regarded as the best developed technology available for organically hazardous waste. However, permitting and siting incinerators to treat hazardous waste such as a waste containing PCBs is very difficult due to the public concerns associated with toxic air emissions. Recently, a lot of alternatives to an incineration have been developed and these technologies have the potential of alleviating public concerns by decreasing emissions of hazardous materials such as dioxins and furans. This paper reviews currently available alternative incineration technologies for various hazardous waste streams. Various categories of non-thermal and thermal alternative incineration technologies have been evaluated in terms of their process operating condition, applicability of a waste stream and their emission of secondary waste. Detailed descriptions of operating principles of several technologies are also provided.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.421-428
• /
• 2012

In this study, PCDD/PCDFs, PAHs and PCBs in wastes from metal, plastic and wastewater treatment facilities were analyzed. The concentrations of PCDD/PCDFs ranged from 7.37~432.20 ng-TEQ/kg in fly ash, 0.51~855.01 ng-TEQ/kg in incinerated ash and 0.37~385.81 ng-TEQ/kg in dust. Dioxin content was lower, compared to data in foreign countries. PAHs concentration was in the range of 0.0075~2.9225 mg/kg for process sludge and 0.0035~1.6716 mg/kg for wastewater sludge, which satisfied all of the two standards (Nap, Ant, B(a)F:4/0.8, Phen, B(a)A:5/1, Flt:10/2.5, B(a)P:4.5/0.9) of the Marine Environment Management Act. PAHs concentration in process sludge and wastewater sludge were slightly lower than those abroad. According to the analysis of seven types of PCBs (in comparison with the first standard, 0.15 mg/kg), concentration was found in the range of 0.0~0.65 mg/kg, while PCB-52, PCB-101, PCB-138, PCB-153 and PCB-180 isomers were detected in excessive value in some machine oil and hydraulic fluid.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.16 no.3 s.77
• /
• pp.3-11
• /
• 2007

Presently, most of gold is smelted from gold concentrates and anode slimes. Anode slimes are by-products of nonferrous smelters such as lead and copper. In addition, gold is recovered from waste dental and medical materials, waste gold coating solution, and waste printed circuit boards (waste PCBs). The smelting method of gold from gold concentrates and various wastes containing high concentration of gold is largely divided into chlorination, cyanidation, and amalgamation methods. For the anode slimes, electrolysis method is usually used, which largely consists of roasting, high temperature melting and electrolysis processes. Also, various wastes containing low concentration of gold are mainly treated by pyrometallursical processes. In the paper, current status on gold smelting technology is reviewed, and a novel process for gold smelting which is researched in the recent is briefly introduced.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Resources Recycling Conference
• /
• 2005.05a
• /
• pp.37-40
• /
• 2005

폐 프린터의 발생량이 해마다 증가하고 있으며 이에 대한 재활용이 필요하다. 폐 프린터의 재활용에 있어서 다른 구성성분보다 기판의 처리가 문제가 된다. 본 연구는 폐 프린터의 기판을 재활용하는 데에 습식처리공정을 적용하기 위하여 먼저 전처리로 분쇄와 분리를 실시하였다. 기판을 1cm 이하로 분쇄한 다음 자력선별기를 이용하여 자성물질을 제거하고 비자성물질을 대상으로 4, 12, 40 mesh의 체를 이용하여 시료를 분리하였다. 전처리를 통하여 금속성분 특히 구리가 다량 함유된 12/40# 에 속한 시료를 대상으로 산에 의한 침출실험을 실시하였다. 실험 변수로는 산의 종류, 산 농도, 반응 온도, pulp density 등이었다.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.24-30
• /
• 2021

Dismantling tests were performed to separate components from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) using HCl solution with Sn4+. Then, the effects of agitation speed, reaction temperature, initial Sn4+ concentration, and HCl concentration on the dismantling of components were investigated. No significant effect on the dismantling speed was observed upon changing the agitation speed from 100 to 300 rpm. However, the dismantling rate increased with increasing reaction temperature, Sn4+ concentration, and HCl concentration. In the all-component dismantling tests, when the dismantling ratio increased to 100%, no solder was observed on the boards, and the Sn4+ concentration was ~1,500 mg/L. The dismantling ratio of the components from the PCB increased to 100% within 2 h when 1 mol/L HCl solution with 10,000 mg/L Sn4+ was used at an agitation speed and temperature of 200 rpm and 90 ℃, respectively.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.76-80
• /
• 2015

Mobile phone has become one of the essential items in our daily life. In Korea, it is estimated that more than 20 million cell phones are discarded each year due to advancement in technology, thus creating disposal and environmental pollution. In order to conserve the resources, their proper recycling is essential as it contains both valuable and toxic metals. The economics of the recycling will depend on the amount and value of the metals. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the composition of the metals present in the different cell phones. In the present study, a report is presented on the variation of metal content per year of waste mobile phones. A review has been made for the mobile phones manufactured during the period 2000-2009 and metal content of the printed circuit boards (PCBs) by analyzing their metals. An example of the precious metal palladium and of the heavy metal lead shows the decreasing trend.