Identification of Recyclable Plastic Types and Comparison of Dyes in HDPE Plastics Using Raman Spectroscopy Luiza Meyer Rocha, Thomas Alves Vidal, Landulfo Silveira Jr.

Abstract

 This study aimed to obtain the Raman spectra of recyclable plastic packaging, identify each type of plastic according to the peaks found in the literature, and compare the peaks related to dyes in HDPE plastic. The packaging was cut into small pieces, the Raman spectra were obtained, and then plotted for comparison. Peaks associated with each type of plastic were identified, with results supported by the literature. A significant similarity was observed between the blue and green dye peaks in HDPE, as they are derived from phthalocyanines. Due to the high efficiency in identification, the Raman technique can be employed in recycling stations.