# The Influence of Spent Portable Battery Waste on the Aquatic Environment
## 2 Materials and Methods  
### Preparation of the Experiment  
Through this experiment, the transfer conditions of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Fe, Mn, and Cd) from the contents of portable alkaline batteries in the aquatic environment or in the leachate of a municipal deposit were followed. The batteries used in the experiment were taken from a used battery collection container, batteries from the primary and Non-rechargeable categories. Nine identical batteries from three categories were selected: 1. zinc-carbon battery R6 KG AA (A); 2. lithium manganese dioxide battery (B) and zinc-manganese alloy battery (C). No tests were performed on the materials from which the batteries were made. The presentation of their composition was based on the data provided by the technical data sheets related to these types of batteries (Table 1). The batteries were not destroyed; they were only inserted into the stagnation solutions, and before that, they were carefully checked for leaks or deformations. They were immersed in the liquid medium without any mechanical intervention on them. The 27 batteries were immersed in three solutions with different pHs: acidic solution (pH = 4.00), a synthetic solution with pH similar to that of rainwater (pH = 5.63), and alkaline solution (pH = 8.00) for 180 days, thus simulating three different aqueous environments. The choice of acidity state of solutions pH 4.00, pH 5.63, and pH 8.00 was based on the intention to simulate an acidic and alkaline aquatic environment that could exist in a natural state. All solutions were obtained using bidistilled water (with pH = 6.80) to simulate an environment free of possible interferences. The acidic solution was obtained by acidifying with nitric acid (HNO\({}_{3}\), 65%) to obtain the solution with a pH of 5.63. It was necessary to acidify using all nitric acid (65%), and the basic solution was obtained by adding potassium hydroxide (KOH). All the used chemicals (nitric acid, potassium hydroxide) were of analytical grade (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) and were used as received without additional purification. A Cyclon (Fistreem International, Cambridge, UK) water purification system was used to produce double distilled water as extraction media for the samples and prepare the standard solutions. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Characteristics**} & \multirow{2}{*}{\begin{tabular}{c} **Zinc–Carbon Battery**[38] \\ **Batteries A** \\ \end{tabular} } & **Lithium Manganese Dioxide Battery** & **Zinc–Manganese Alloy** \\  & & **[39]** & **Battery**[40] \\  & & **Batteries B** & **Batteries C** \\ \hline Size & AA & AA & AA \\ \hline Tensione & 1.5 V & 1.5 V & 1.5 V \\ \hline Diameter & 14.5 mm & 14.5 mm & 14.5 mm \\ \hline Overall height & 50.5 mm & 50.5 mm & 50.5 mm \\ \hline Weight & 18.0 g & 24 g & 23.1 g \\ \hline Shell & steel & steel & steel \\ \hline Cathode: & MnO\({}_{2}\) & MnO\({}_{2}\) and conductive agents & MnO\({}_{2}\) \\ \hline Anode & Zn & pure lithium metal & Zn powder in the shape of a mixed gel \\ \hline Electrolyte & ZnC\({}_{12}\) & \
\begin{tabular}{c} organic solvent mixture with a \\ dissolved alkali metal salt \\ \end{tabular} & KOH solution \\ \hline \multirow{6}{*}{
\begin{tabular}{c} Constituent name \\ and content (\%) \\ \end{tabular} } & MnO\({}_{2}\): 15–40\% & MnO\({}_{2}\): 15–45\% & MnO\({}_{2}\): 30–46\% \\  & Zn: 30–60\% & 1.2 dimethroydenane: 5–10\% & Zn: 10–17\% \\  & Fe: 15–40\% & Propylene carbonate (C\({}_{4}\)H\({}_{6}\)O\({}_{3}\)): 1–10\% & KOH: 4–7\% \\  & Carbon black: 15–40\% & Carbon black: 0–5\% & Water: 7–13\% \\  & ZnCl: 5–10\% & Graphite: 0–5\% & Graphite: 2–4\% \\  & Paper: 1–5\% & Lithium (Li): 1–5\% & Steel: 12–34\% \\  & NH\({}_{4}\)Cl: 0.1–1\% & Lithium trifluoromethane sulfonate & Plastic: 3–11\% \\  & & (LiOTf): 0–5\% & \\  & Pb: 0.1–0.16\% & Ethylene carbonate C\({}_{3}\)H\({}_{4}\)O\({}_{3}\): 0–5\% & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Content of the battery [38; 39; 40].