- Author
-
Levin, B. C.
- Title
- Summary of the NBS Literature Reviews on the Chemical Nature and Toxicity of the Pyrolysis and Combustion Products From Seven Plastics: Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrenes (ABS), Nylons, Polyesters, Polyethylenes, Polystyrenes, Poly(Vinyl Chlorides) and Rigid Polyurethane Foams.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Journal
-
Fire and Materials,
Vol. 11,
No. 3,
143-157,
September 1987
- Sponsor
- Consumer Product Safety Comm., Bethesda, MD
- Report
-
NBSIR 85-3267,
June 1986,
36 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
-
polyesters
|
ABS plastics
|
chemistry
|
combustion products
|
literature reviews
|
nylon
|
polyethylenes
|
polystyrene
|
polyvinyl chloride
|
pyrolysis products
|
polyurethane foams
|
rigid foams
|
thermal decomposition
- Identifiers
- toxicity
- Abstract
- A series of literature reviews was undertaken by the National Bureau of Standards to examine the toxicity and chemistry of the effluents produced when seven plastics were decomposed under various thermal and atmospheric conditions. These plastics are: acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrenes, nylons, polyesters, polyethylenes, polystyrenes, poly(vinyl chlorides), and rigid polyurethane foams. The English language literature on each of these was reviewed and published as a separate report of the National Bureau of Standards. Over 400 different thermal decomposition products, many common to more than one plastic, were identified. The toxicity of most of these individual products is unknown and an assessment of the toxicity of the multitude of possible combinations is not feasible at this time. Therefore, a variety of bioassay toxicity protocols have been used to assess the toxicity of the gaseous atmospheres generated by the thermal decomposition of these plastics. In general, these seven plastics did not produce unusually or extremely toxic pyrolysis or combustion products when compared to those of other synthetic or natural materials. In a few cases involving additives, toxic products of concern were produced.