Fuel Quality Assessment of Liquid Hydrocarbons Obtained from Waste Polyethylene Pyrolysis
Abstract
Waste polyethylene represents one of the largest contributors to persistent plastic pollution, necessitating sustainable strategies for its valorization into useful products. This study assessed the fuel quality of liquid hydrocarbons produced from waste polyethylene pyrolysis through physicochemical characterization and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. The produced liquid hydrocarbon was evaluated for density, specific gravity, kinematic viscosity, flash point, calorific value, and refractive index using standard ASTM methods, while GC–MS was employed to determine its hydrocarbon composition. The density (0.83 ± 0.01 g cm- 3), specific gravity (0.83 ± 0.01), kinematic viscosity (3.20 ± 0.01 mm2 s-1), and calorific value (43.3 ± 0.2 MJ kg−1) compared favourably with conventional diesel fuel, whereas the flash point (47 ± 1 °C) was slightly below the ASTM D975 specification, suggesting the presence of relatively volatile hydrocarbon fractions. GC–MS analysis identified twelve major hydrocarbons comprising branched alkanes (41.7%), branched alkenes (33.3%), and cycloalkanes (25.0%), with carbon numbers ranging from C6 to C13, corresponding predominantly to gasoline-, kerosene-, and light diesel-range hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon composition was consistent with the measured physicochemical properties, confirming the production of an energy-rich liquid fuel with characteristics comparable to conventional petroleum fuels. The findings demonstrate that waste polyethylene can be effectively converted into a liquid hydrocarbon with promising fuel quality and potential application as an alternative transportation fuel or refinery feedstock after appropriate upgrading, thereby providing an environmentally sustainable pathway for plastic waste utilization.
Keywords
Waste polyethylene; Pyrolysis; Liquid hydrocarbon fuel; Fuel quality assessment; Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS); Plastic waste valorization
References
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