Troy University Chemistry and Physics professor Dr. Shaoyang Liu has been awarded a $534,194 grant from the National Science Foundation to support his research into developing reliable methods to test recycled plastics for toxic residues and hazardous chemicals.

His research, titled “RUI: Sensitive and Rapid Detection of Hazardous Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Recycled Plastics Using Solid-Phase Microextraction,” aims to give consumers peace of mind for the use of recycled plastics.

“Recycled plastics play a crucial role in building a sustainable future, but they often contain impurities, including toxic residues and hazardous chemicals,” Liu said. “This research will develop a sensitive, convenient and reliable method to detect hazardous VOCs and ensure recycled products are safe

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