I am working on a project with the use of expanded polystyrene waste dissolved with the organic solvents like d-limonene. I am wondering how "safe" is this process and if there is a higher risk of styrene exposure? Dissolving EPS in d-limonene supposed to just release air from the material not break down the polystyrene itself, but is there a way to measure to toxicity of this process?
dissolving in limonene should not release styrene any residual styrene should have evaporated long ago. If you really want to check take an air sample and do a head space GCMS
Dear Weronika Banaś many thanks for asking this interesting technical question. In my opinion dissolving expanded polystyrene (EPS) in D-limonene can be considered a safe process. I agree with Peter Bedwell in that there will be no free styrene monomer present in the EPS, and no styrene monomer will be formed upon dissolution of the material. D-Limonene is basically orange oil, and it has been shown to be a suitable solvent for expanded polystyrene. For more information about this please have a look at the following interesting research article:
Effect of expanded polystyrene waste in the creation of waterproofing paint
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1386/1/012075/pdf
(see attached pdf file)
Good luck with your work!
Dear Weronika Banaś I really appreciate you for asking this technical question. Dissolving expanded polystyrene (EPS) in D-limonene can be considered a safe process, it's absolutely safe. I agree with the previous comments, there will be no free styrene monomer present in the EPS, and no styrene monomer will be formed upon dissolution of the material. D-Limonene is basically orange oil, and it has been shown to be a suitable solvent for expanded polystyrene. I think this will provide more explanation to that as stated above
Effect of expanded polystyrene waste in the creation of waterproofing paint
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