Emission characteristics of VOCs from the typical spent lithium-ion battery recycling industry

Abstract

In recent years, with the rapid rise in electric vehicles and renewable energy storage solutions, decommissioning spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has become an increasingly pressing issue. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated during the recycling of LIBs caused environmental pollution and health hazards. This work investigated the emission characteristics of VOCs from two typical spent LIB recycling plants. The findings indicated that the total VOC emission concentrations from plants A and B were 54.24 mg/m³ and 322.51 mg/m³ , respectively. The predominant VOCs identified across different processing stages were ethyl acetate in the crushing stage, 1,2-dichloroethane and epichlorohydrin in the pyrolysis stage, chloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane in the alkaline leaching stage, and acetaldehyde and cyclohexane in the acid leaching stage. Halogenated hydrocarbons and oxygenated VOCs were the dominant categories of gaseous pollutants. These compounds represent key species within the VOCs profile emitted while recycling spent LIBs. Moreover, the study assessed the potential risk of ozone formation associated with VOC emissions during recycling. The results highlighted that oxygenated VOCs and alkanes were the main contributors to ozone formation in this industry, accounting for 47 %-95 % of total ozone-forming potential. Key compounds contributing to ozone formation included acetaldehyde, n-hexane, propanal, p-xylene, ethylene, and cyclohexane. This work systematically examined the characteristics of VOC emissions throughout the recycling process of spent LIBs, providing essential data and guidance for more sustainable recycling and utilization practices.