Evaluating the toxicity of polyurethane during marine clay stabilisation

Area of Science:

• Civil Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Geotechnical Engineering

Background:

• Polyurethane (PU) is widely used in civil engineering for ground improvement, offering time and cost benefits.
• Concerns exist regarding the environmental impact of chemical stabilizers like PU in soil stabilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the environmental risks of using PU for marine clay stabilization.
• To evaluate the hazardous properties of PU, including reactivity, ignitability, corrosivity, and physical characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) was employed to investigate potential ground contamination.
• Standard tests were conducted to determine PU's reactivity, ignitability, corrosivity, and physical properties.

Main Results:

• Heavy metal concentrations in PU were found to be significantly below regulatory limits.
• PU was characterized as odorless, non-corrosive, and free of cyanide and sulfide.
• PU was identified as combustible (ignitable).

Conclusions:

• The environmental impact of PU for marine clay stabilization is minimal, with low risk of ground contamination.
• PU exhibits favorable safety characteristics, being non-corrosive and non-toxic in terms of heavy metals.
• While PU is ignitable, its overall environmental friendliness makes it a promising option for ground improvement applications.