Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analysis from plasma pyrolysis of printed circuit boards (PCB) with the addition of CaCO3 from natural flux agents

E-wastes are all the items associated with the electrical and electronic equipment that have been discarded and no-reuse by its users. VOCs exist in the PCB, and a specific treatment is required for degrading it during pyrolysis. In this study, novel flux agents with a high source of CaCO3 from the bones powder (pork bone and beef bone) and shells powder (Meretrix sp. and Crassostrea sp.) were added to the printed circuit boards (PCB) and treated via an atmospheric-pressure microwave plasma reactor. Nitrogen was used as the plasma carrier gas. In addition, microwave power, gas flow rate, and pyrolysis duration were 1200 watt, 9 SLM, and 5 min. The addition of 2 g Crassostrea sp. powder indicated the best results in reducing total VOCs at 12.17 ppm. These results were higher at 54.70 ppm, 88.74 ppm, and 109.63 ppm than beef powder, Meretrix sp., and pork powder, respectively, in 1 min of pyrolysis. Furthermore, the pyrolysis treatments with 2 g powder of Crassostrea sp. and 4 g powder of Crassostrea sp. were 279.16 ppm and 182.34 ppm, respectively, which are, respectively, 2163.68 ppm and 2260.50 ppm less than the PCB (control). The use of shell powder can be considered as a flux agent and its supply chain related to the waste valorization may be considered properly in real applications. Crassostrea sp. powder as a flux agent, therefore had to indicate a promising result in reducing the VOCs concentrations in plasma pyrolysis and reducing the air pollution in the treatment of e-waste. (c) 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC