Feasibility analysis of mixed solvent waste recycling: A green chemistry project | Poster Board #479

This research project explores the first of the 12 principles of green chemistry: waste reduction through solvent recycling. Solvents are widely recognized to be a considerable environmental concern. Many industrial chemical processes generate significant amounts of hazardous and toxic chemical waste due to solvents used to facilitate chemical reactions and product purification. Unfortunately, this chemical waste is often mixed in composition and difficult to recycle. In this project we explored multiple avenues to recover and purify hexanes solvent from industrial column waste contaminated with acetone and ethyl acetate solvents. Methods used included the use of a commercial solvent recycler, fractional distillation, and multi-phase fractionation. Waste and solvent composition was verified by GC-MS analysis.