Batteries Chemicals-Introduction, Safety, And Recycling

Almost all the household items that we use these days, especially the ones which are electronic, need batteries to operate. These batteries use chemicals. The chemicals inside these batteries are quite harmful. Though many batteries are rechargeable, even these batteries are going to exhaust someday. When they wear out, they will need replacement. One needs to take care that they are disposed of properly. Their disposal affects the environment and landfills by contaminating and harming them. There s numerous chemicals the batteries that we use daily are made up of. These chemicals are very hazardous both for our lives and the life of our environment. These batteries leak the chemicals inside them that accumulate and harm the environment, human beings, plantation, and wildlife.

What chemicals are in a battery?

A battery requires many parts. These parts are made up of metals and chemicals. The basic chemicals used in a battery as per its parts are-

a)The case- The case of the battery is used to seal the battery. It is done so that the body of the battery remains the same. The body of the battery is the basic source that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. The battery’s case is produced in layers created using many raw materials, incorporating one or two layers. For example, polyethylene terephthalate layers, polypropylene, and polymer layers are made up of carbonized plastic.

b)Chemistry of the battery- To generate a current, which is the basic function of a battery, it needs certain chemical bases. These chemicals differ according to the type of battery.

c)Nickel-cadmium batteries- These batteries utilize nickel and cadmium. This extends the temperature range and high discharge rate of the battery.

d)Zinc carbon Battery- A zinc-carbon battery has manganese dioxide as a cathode, and the anode is zinc. The electrolyte is zinc chloride or ammonium chloride.

e)c)Lead-acid battery-  These batteries have lead oxide and metallic lead as the anode. Here, sulphuric Acid acts as the electrolyte.

f)Lithium-ion batteries- These batteries are used in making numerous substances. However, the best combination is where carbon is used as an anode, and lithium cobalt oxide is used as a cathode.

g)Alkaline batteries- These batteries are usable. Here, Zinc powder acts as an anode, while the manganese dioxide mixture is used as the cathode.

h)Electrolyte- An electrolyte is a medium used for the flowing of electrons between cathode and anode. The electrolyte is conductive, which is made up of acid, base, or salt. The chemicals used in making electrolytes are sodium chloride, nitric Acid, chloric Acid, potassium nitrate, hydrochloric acid, magnesium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and sodium acetate.

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Are the insides of batteries toxic?

The various chemicals used in a battery are very toxic. These chemicals are very hazardous in many ways. They contaminate the environment and landfills.

?The lead used in batteries is very toxic. It can enter our body during inhalation of lead dust or when we touch the mouth with hands contaminated with lead. They can contaminate the soil if they get leaked onto the ground. On drying, they become airborne. The most vulnerable exposed to it are children and pregnant women as their bodies are continuously growing. They cause memory loss, high blood pressure, muscle and joint pain, damages to the reproductive organ.

?Sulfuric acid is highly corrosive. Its contact with the eyes can damage the eyes and can cause permanent blindness. If swallowed, it can damage the internal organs leading to death.

?Cadmium is considered more harmful than lead if ingested. It can damage kidneys. The skin can absorb it if one touches a spilled battery.

?·Nickel hydride is harmful to plants.

?If children swallow the batteries, they get stuck in the esophagus. When contact is made with saliva or water, it produces current. This current can trigger a chemical reaction that produces hydroxide. It can burn the surrounding tissues.

?These batteries are very harmful to the environment as they contribute to water and air pollution. When these batteries are disposed of, their chemicals soak in the ground, which leads to the contamination of groundwater and surface water. This further leads to the harm of vegetation, wildlife, the environment, and human beings.

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How do you recycle battery chemicals?

There are various benefits of recycling batteries. It not only saves resources but also is useful for the environment. Local councils and authorities have joined hands in recycling the batteries because recycling batteries are very important. They have developed various schemes for recycling the batteries. These batteries are sent to either be recycled or disposed of safely rather than sending them to landfills for their improper disposal. Recycling of batteries involves various steps starting from breaking them down and collecting and recovering the metal inside of them for recycling and reuse. If the batteries are unrecyclable, they are disposed of carefully and properly, taking care of the fact that they don’t harm the environment.

Batteries that can be recycled are nickel-cadmium batteries, Nickel-metal batteries, lithium-ion batteries, button cell batteries, and lead-acid batteries. The household batteries, which are single-use such as AA, AAA, C, and D batteries, can’t be recycled.

?The recycling process starts by spurting out the batteries according to the material they are made up of. Then the combustible materials such as plastic are removed.

?The cells are chopped and are heated. It is done till the metal liquefies. The substances are non-metallic are burned off, which leaves behind a black slag on top.

?The alloys get settled as per their weight. They are then skimmed off like cream from raw milk when they are in liquid form.

?The energy used for recycling batteries is very intense. In some cases, the metal is not removed on-site but separated into hogs and nuggets. They are used to produce stainless steel and other products.

It is now impossible to have any electric device without a battery as the battery is the most basic equipment used in operating any device. The chemicals which they use are harmful in ways more than one. However, there are some substances and chemicals which are less harmful than the others. It is, therefore, required to consider the batteries which are made up of these chemicals. They are less harmful to the environment and human health.