Page 60 - Energy from Toxic Organic Waste for Heat and Power Generation

48 Energy from Toxic Organic Waste for Heat and Power Generation

ethyl acetate (C 4 H 8 O 2 ), acetone (C 3 H 6 O), methyl ethyl ketone or butanone
(C 4 H 8 O), methyl isobutyl ketone (C 6 H 12 O), and methyl n-butyl ketone or
2-hexanone (C 6 H 12 O).
These oxygenated solvents are volatile and reactive to sunlight; they can
yield the so-called “ground-level ozone,” which can be harmful for human
health, as well as for all flora and fauna. Exposure to a massive amount of
solvents can cause sudden death. Prolonged exposure to solvents can cause
blindness, irregular heartbeat, and damage to the kidneys, liver, lungs, and
CNS. Some solvents are listed as human carcinogens or “reasonably antici-
pated to be human carcinogens” in the Fourteenth Report on Carcinogens
published by the National Toxicology Program [14] and can cause cancer.
Benzene and trichloroethylene are human carcinogens. Solvents antici-
pated to be human carcinogens include carbon tetrachloride, chloroform,
1,4- dioxane, perchloroethylene, and styrene.
Exposure to glycol ethers may cause damage to a developing fe-
tus and low fertility in men. Regular exposure to solvents can cause
memory and hearing loss, mental illness, depression, fatigue, confusion,
dizziness, feeling drunk or “high,” lack of coordination, headache, nau-
sea, stomach pains, skin rashes, cracking or bleeding skin, and irritated
eyes, nose, and throat. Exposure to solvent vapors can cause hoarseness,
coughing, lung congestion, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. If
children are exposed to high levels of solvents at home, they may suffer
from asthma [14,21].

4.10 GREASE AND OIL IMPREGNATED WASTES

Grease is a thick and oily lubricant consisting of inedible fat rendered
from waste animal parts, or a petroleum-derived or synthetic oil contain-
ing a thickening agent. White grease is made from inedible fat and has
a low content of free fatty acids. Grease is harmful to aquatic life with
long-lasting effects. The product contains a substance which is toxic to
aquatic organisms and may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic
environment. The waste cloths soaked with grease and oil when burnt
emit the toxic gases such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), carbon monoxide
(CO), hydrocarbons, nitrous gases (NO X ), and sulfurous gases (SO X ). The
hazards caused by grease and oils to the living beings are eye damage, eye
irritation, and toxic and harmful effects to aquatic life with long-lasting
effects [22].