ASTM_D_5991_-_15.pdf

Designation:D599115Standard Practice forSeparation and Identification of Poly(Vinyl Chloride)(PVC)Contamination in Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate)(PET)Flake1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5991;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope*1.1 This practice covers four procedures for separation andqualitative identification of poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC)con-tamination in poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET)flakes.NOTE1Although not presented as a quantitative method,procedurespresented in this practice may be used to provide quantitative results at thediscretion of the user.The user assumes the responsibility to verify thereproducibility of quantitative results.Data from an independent sourcesuggest a PVC detection level of 200 ppm(w/w)based on an originalsample weight of 454 g.1.2 Procedure A is based on different fluorescence of PVCand PET when these polymers are exposed to ultraviolet(UV)light.1.3 Procedure B is an oven test based upon the charring ofPVC when it is heated in air at 235C.1.4 Procedures C and D are dye tests based on differentialstaining of PVC and PET.NOTE2Other polymers(for example,PETG)also absorb the stain orbrightener.Such interferences will result in false positive identification ofPVC as the contaminant.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.For specific hazardssee Section 8.NOTE3There is no known ISO equivalent to this standard.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D1600 Terminology forAbbreviated Terms Relating to Plas-ticsD7209 Guide for Waste Reduction,Resource Recovery,andUse of Recycled Polymeric Materials and Products(With-drawn 2015)3IEEE/ASTM SI-10 American National Standard for Use ofthe International System of Units(SI):The Modern MetricSystem3.Terminology3.1 The terminology used in this practice is in accordancewith Terminology D1600 and Guide D7209.Units and symbolsare in accordance with IEEE/ASTM SI-10.3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 light material,npaper,polymers such as polyethyl-ene and polypropylene,and other materials with densities lessthan 1.00 g/cm3.4.Summary of Practice4.1 For the Beilstein Test,chlorine-containing materialsheated in a flame in contact with a copper wire produce acharacteristic green flame.4.2 With Procedure A,a known amount of PET flakes isexposed to ultraviolet radiation.PET normally fluoresces witha blue or violet color.Flakes fluorescing with different colorsare removed,weighed,and identified as PVC if they burn witha bright green flame when heated on a copper wire.4.3 With Procedure B,PET flakes are heated in an ovenmaintained at 235 6 5C.After a minimum of 45 min,theflakes are visually examined with removal and subsequentweighing of black,charred pieces.Pieces are confirmed asPVC using the same flame test mentioned in 4.1.4.4 With Procedure C,PET flakes are soaked in a blueacetone dye solution that preferentially stains any PVC flakes.These flakes are visually identified and subsequently removed,and weighed.The identification of PVC flakes is confirmedwith the flame test.4.5 With Procedure D,PET flakes are heated with anaqueous solution containing an optical brightener that also1This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D20 on Plastics andis the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.95 on Recycled Plastics.Current edition approved Oct.1,2015.Published October 2015.Originallyapproved in 1996.Last previous edition approved in 2009 as D5991-09.DOI:10.1520/D5991-15.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced onwww.astm.org.*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standardCopyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 preferentially stains the PVC flakes.The flakes are sorted underUV light in a dark room with removal and subsequentweighing of any blue fluorescing PVC flakes.5.Significance and Use5.1 Presence of even low concentrations of PVC in recycledPET flakes results in equipment corrosion problems duringprocessing.The PVC contamination leve shall dictate themarket for use of the recycled polymer in secondary products.Procedures presented in this practice are used to identify thePVC contamination in recycled PET flakes.NOTE4These procedures may also be used to