HTC-19 Insights. Multidimensional Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography To Investigate Fluoropolymer Degradation

At HTC-19 in Leuven, Belgium, LCGC International spoke Melissa N. Dunkel on her presentation Evaluation of the Degradation of Fluoropolymers Using Pyr-GC×GC, which investigated the transformation of fluoropolymers during pyrolysis and its relevance to plastic chemical recycling’

In this episode, Dunkel answered the following question:

• Why did you decide to switch to multidimensional pyrolysis gas chromatography (Py-GC×GC) to analyse fluoropolymers

• What were the most challenging aspects of identifying fluorinated degradation products with confidence using your Py-GC×GC workflow?

• You mention radical-chain degradation pathways predicted by kinetic simulations. How closely did the experimental Py-GC×GC data align with the simulated product distributions?

In her presentation at HTC-19, Melissa explored the challenges associated with recycling complex plastic waste streams, particularly the potential presence of persistent contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Selected fluoropolymers were subjected to pyrolysis coupled with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (Pyr-GC×GC) to characterize the resulting degradation products, including both fluorinated compounds and hydrocarbon species.

The results showed that fluoropolymer degradation followed radical-driven pathways, producing volatile fluorinated compounds and complex mixtures of unsaturated hydrocarbons. These experimental findings were consistent with kinetic model predictions and provided important insights into the behavior of fluoropolymers during thermal treatment.

The presentation highlighted the importance of advanced analytical techniques, such as Pyr-GC×GC, for monitoring PFAS-related compounds and supporting safer, more sustainable approaches to achieving a circular plastics economy.

Reference

1. Dunkel M.D Evaluation of the Degradation of Fluoropolymers Using Pyr-GC×GC Presented at HTC-19 2026, in Leuven, Belgium. https://htc-19.com/programme/( accessed 2026-07-04).

Biography

Melissa Dunkle is currently a Senior Research Scientist at Dow Benelux BV located in Terneuzen, The Netherlands, where she leads research as part of the Circular & Renewable Solutions team within Hydrocarbons R&D. With a Ph.D. in Analytical Science from the University at Buffalo and a B.S. in Chemistry from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Melissa has built a distinguished career in advanced analytical chemistry and sustainable materials innovation. Her research focuses on developing cutting-edge analytical techniques to support the circular economy for plastics, particularly through the characterization and optimization of pyrolysis oils and recycled hydrocarbon feedstocks.