Balloons transport us into many a childhood dreamland—and come from the Hevea brasiliensis plant. The transformation of a creamy, white natural substance into a colorful balloon requires a helping hand from the gods, and only Vulcan—the Roman god of fire and a gifted chemist—can perform such a miracle. In this part, we will look at how balloons are made and why rubber products can contain harmful nitrosamines.
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5 The Balloon Factory
The skin of a balloon is required to meet almost impossible demands: It must be whisper-thin so that the balloon is strong and rises briskly when filled with gas. It must have a uniform thickness so that the balloon has no weak spots to cause it to pop prematurely. It must be elastic so that the balloon can be inflated multiple times. It must be storable, and the balloon must withstand multiple inflations. The balloon must be easy to inflate. The skin must be as gas-tight as possible so that the balloon stays aloft for a long time. It must not have a disgusting taste and must under no circumstances emit any compounds that are health hazards. Balloons must be available in all colors, the color must be evenly distributed, and finally, balloons need to be as cheap as possible. It is with great respect that we acknowledge that serious balloon manufacturers meet all these requirements. Here, we continue to follow the production process.
5.1 Processing the Latex Concentrate
After delivery (see Part 3) sulfur, catalysts, activators, and preservative substances are added to the latex concentrate (see Part 2). The precise formulations used are well-guarded company secrets—and for good reason, because though latex concentrate is the material basis, the quality of a balloon is primarily determined by this formulation and additional clever manufacturing tricks.
The completed mixture is pre-vulcanized through gentle heating over several hours. This leads to some degree of crosslinking between the isoprene chains via sulfur bridges (see Part 2). The desired organic pigments are then mixed into the pre-vulcanized latex concentrate. Because balloons “come into contact with the oral mucus membranes,” food and consumer goods laws only allow the use of certain approved pigments. Of these, the consumer favorite is unquestionably a bright red.
Modern balloon production is fully automated (see Fig. 11), and production numbers are remarkable: The only balloon factory operating in Germany, the Everts company in Datteln, produces up to one million (!) balloons a day.
5.2 Cleaning the Molds
The blank molds used in the dipping process (see Part 3) are first carefully cleaned in a sequence of cleaning baths.
Figure 12. Balloon molds.
5.3 Coagulant Bath
The goal of this production step is to apply a thin coat of coagulant to the molds. This substance causes the rubber particles to coagulate as finely and evenly as possible as the molds are dipped into the latex mixture. Calcium salts have proven successful in this role, because the doubly positive ions cancel the negative charges of the carboxylate groups on the surface of the rubber particles, removing the electrostatic repulsion between the rubber particles.
5.4 Dipping in Latex and Drying
Once covered in a uniform coat of coagulant, the molds are dipped into the latex mixture and then dried. The latex mixture contains all the additives, catalysts, activators, preservatives, and pigment (see Part 2).
This is where one of the advantages of pre-vulcanization comes into play: As the latex dries, the ends of the unpolar polyisoprene chains protrude out of the membrane shells of the pre-vulcanized latex particles. These ends then begin to loosely bind individual rubber particles together like Velcro.
At this point, everything has come together on the mold: the substances for coagulation of the latex particles, the latex particles themselves, and the substances for vulcanization.
5.5 The Lip
Balloons are only easy to inflate if the mouthpiece has a suitable end for the lips to hold (see Fig. 13). To form this lip, the upper edge of the latex mixture is loosened from the mold and folded over on itself by a roller. Because the latex layer has not yet been fully vulcanized, the individual layers adhere to each other, forming a compact ring after vulcanization.
Figure 13. Balloons with lips.
5.6 Post-Vulcanization
After another wash to remove coagulant residues, the final vulcanization takes place. This is where the advantages of two-step vulcanization become apparent: Pre-vulcanization takes place at slightly elevated temperatures, and post-vulcanization takes place at less than 120 °C. This low thermal strain is what allows for the use of the organic pigments that give us balloons in so many beautiful colors (see Fig. 14).
The low thermal strain during pre- and post-vulcanization allows the long isoprene chains to remain intact, which gives the balloon skin its high tensile strength.
Once the pre-vulcanized latex coat has been dried, the ends of the polyisoprene chains protrude from the membrane shell of the rubber particles. As a result, many sulfur bridges are formed between the ends of the chains of polyisoprene molecules on different rubber particles in the post-vulcanization process. This is what gives balloons their outstanding elasticity.
5.7 Removal
Once they have cooled, the balloons are washed in hot water and soapy water before being mechanically removed from the molds with rollers. After careful quality control, the finished balloons are packaged and ready for shipment.
6 The Pacifier Warning
Because balloons go into the mouth, manufacturers must comply with a large number of legal regulations. Without going into the logic of regulations and their harmonization across Europe, balloons in Germany must be sold with the following warnings, among others: Not suitable for children under 3 years of age! Warning! Children under 8 years of age can choke on uninflated or popped balloons! Parental supervision is required! Keep uninflated balloons out of the reach of children! Popped balloons should be removed immediately! Made from natural rubber. According to §30 of the Foodstuff and Consumer Goods Law (LMBG), balloons may not emit any hazardous substances.
6.1 Nitrosamines in Pacifiers, Balloons, and Condoms
Because elevated concentrations of carcinogenic nitrosamines were found in pacifiers during the “pacifier panic” several years ago, the Federal Institute of Risk Assessment in Berlin (BfR) (formerly the Federal Institute for Health Consumer Protection and Veterinary Medicine, formerly the Federal Health Department) established a mandatory limit of 10 µg of nitrosamine per kg of pacifier [12].
The Institute reasoned as follows: In the worst case, an infant could suck out the entire nitrosamine content of a 10 g pacifier, resulting in the ingestion of, at most, 0.1 µg nitrosamine.
With a balloon, in the worst case, the entire 10 cm2 neck can have all the nitrosamine sucked out of it. If at most 0.1 µg of nitrosamine may be ingested, and 1 kg of balloon material has a surface area of about 400 dm2, the balloon material may contain no more than 400 µg/kg of nitrosamine (BfR 26.3.) [13]. However, a BfR study showed that balloons do not get sucked on as intensively or for as long as pacifiers.
The “Pacifier Panic” was repeated in —again with corresponding press coverage—with another everyday item closely related to the balloon: the condom [14]. Chocolate-flavored condoms were found to have an especially high nitrosamine content, most of which could be attributed to the cocoa roasting process. Assuming adherence to the BfR regulation value of at most 400 µg of nitrosamine per kg of balloon material, a 1.5 g condom made from this material would contain at most 0.6 µg of nitrosamine. How or by whom the entire (!) nitrosamine content of a condom would be ingested I will leave to the imagination of the reader.
Before the possible carcinogenic effect of blowing up a balloon takes your breath away, you should know that an adult consumes 0.2–0.3 µg of nitrosamine with their daily meals.
6.2 Where Do the Nitrosamines in Balloons Come from?
Many catalysts, like tetramethylthiuram disulfide (5) (see Fig. 10) and the preservatives added at the plantation, such as zinc N,N-dialkyldithiocarbamate (3) (see Fig. 7), degrade over time and during processing to form dimethylamine. Dimethylamine reacts with nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2) in the atmosphere to form carcinogenic dimethylnitrosamines ON–N(CH3)2.
However, because balloons cannot be manufactured at all without catalysts and latex preservatives, alternatives that do not result in the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines are being sought. In contrast to dimethylnitrosamine, dibenzylnitrosamine is not carcinogenic. The use of tetrabenzylthiuram disulfide and zinc N,N-dibenzyldithiocarbamate, both based on dibenzylamine, is currently being researched.
7 Conclusion
Rubber, a sticky natural product discovered by indigenous Brazilians and marveled at by Columbus, first gained practical significance once Goodyear discovered vulcanization.
Balloons are certainly not the most important product made from rubber, but they may be the most beautiful. The industriousness and ingenuity of many generations of scientists and engineers is reflected in their low weight, beautiful color(s), lack of damaging health effects, and, most strikingly, their unbelievable elasticity.
When we are at a children’s birthday party and raise a balloon to our lips to inflate it by stretching some polyisoprene chains with the power of our lungs, we can be proud of this wonderful product. We should tell our children why this makes us proud—and enjoy the moment.
Acknowledgments
I thank Dr. E. Vaupel of the German Museum in Munich, Dr. K.-H Hellwich of the Beilstein Institute in Frankfurt, Germany, and especially Dr. Rainer Hotzelmann and Katrin Gille of Fa. Everts Balloons in Datteln, Germany, for their assistance in researching this article.
Dr. Hotzelmann’s presentation during an advanced training course of the German Chemical Society was the inspiration for this article. I thank Carina and Dr. Hubertus Pohris, Marburg, Germany, and the company Dutch Dipping Technologies of Almelo, The Netherlands, for their help and sharing of photographic materials.
References
[12] Stellungnahme des BgVV vom 11.4., Risikobewertung von N-Nitrosaminen in Luftballons, www.bfr.bund.de. (accessed September 5, )
[13] Ergänzende Stellungnahme des BfR vom 26. März , Bewertung von Nitrosaminen in Luftballons, www.bfr.bund.de. (accessed September 5, )
[14] Krebserregende N-Nitrosamine in Kondomen, Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Stuttgart (CVUA) 28.05., cvuas.untersuchungsämter-bw.de. (accessed September 5, )
The article has been published in German as:
- Die Chemie des Luftballons,
Klaus Roth,
Chem. unserer Zeit , 39, 282–289.
https://doi.org/10./ciuz.
and was translated by Caroll Pohl-Ferry.
The Chemistry of Balloons (and Rubber) – Part 1
The balloon is certainly not the most important product based on rubber, but it may be the prettiest
The Chemistry of Balloons (and Rubber) – Part 2
The discovery of vulcanization—a happy accident or the result of hard work?
The Chemistry of Balloons (and Rubber) – Part 3
How latex is collected, transported, and converted to natural rubber
Jaquelin Valladares
Group members: Marron Capistrano, Ebony Perez
DES 040A
Professor Cristina Cogdell
2 Dec
Latex Party Balloon: Raw Materials
Introduction
In this research, we decided to investigate the Life Cycle of Latex Party Balloons. Since party balloons are continuously increasing in demand and are used for special events and celebrations worldwide, it is important to figure out the process behind their production. The life cycle of a product consists of seven different parts, but our research mostly focused on: raw materials/extraction, energy, and waste. The individual process of raw materials in the lifecycle of a balloon revealed many negative environmental impacts. An author from the New York Times stated, “Natural latex is biodegradable and environmentally safe, but, according to Rubber Technology, it is treated with ammonia and with tetramethyl thiuram disulfide plus zinc oxide as a preservative against bacterial decomposition”(Hibbard). As stated in the article, if additives are implemented to prevent natural decomposition, it is simply not biodegradable. Although some say balloons are sustainable, the raw materials and processes that go into the production of Latex balloons are not environmentally friendly or economically friendly.
Importance.
Billions of Party Balloons are used worldwide for different occasions, and it is important to remember that there is always a process to create and dispose of these products. Latex Balloons start with raw materials just like any other product, and one of the essential materials in the product is rubber latex. Rubber Latex originates from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree, one that is heavily harvested worldwide. Other components that go into making Latex balloons are organic and synthetic dyes, coagulants, water, and other chemicals and preservatives. Although some may think that the materials that go into Latex balloons are eco-friendly, many consequences come with harvesting and using these raw materials. These are not concerns that should be taken lightly.
Effects of Overharvesting.
Overharvesting is linked to deforestation and the destruction of the environment. Hevea Sap Trees are used for their natural rubber secretion, unfortunately, they are overused and overplanted for the production of millions of products including that of Party Balloons. The Hevea Sap Tree, also known as Hevea Brasiliensis, can grow around 30-40 meters tall and have a lifespan of up to 100 years (Extinction). The tree is native to the Amazon but has also been transported and harvested in Southeast Asia and other tropical areas (Duke). The trees are harvested when trees are 5-8 years old and are tapped until they reach 20 years. After this, they are on sustained yield for 40-50 years (Duke). This long process of harvesting and growing trees can have a large impact on the environment. In some cases, tropical forests are wiped out to create farmland for the Hevea Trees. Deforestation can result in global warming and a decrease in rainfall affecting both agriculture and wildlife. According to a study done on the potential impacts of deforestation, “The magnitude of predicted global warming [after deforestation] varies from 0.1–0.7 °C (refs 5–7). Thus, at the upper end, deforestation of the tropics would effectively double the observed warming since ” ( Lawrence, Deborah, et. al, 27). These results are truly disturbing knowing that global warming is already impacted by other pollutants.
Harvesting and local communities.
The production process of Latex Balloons requires natural rubber to be harvested. Harvesting a product requires workers, and people willing to use materials to harvest a natural substance. In some places with rubber production, there seems to be a negative impact on the livelihoods of the nearby communities. In a study on the links of water-land-food productions and rubber production, it was found that “natural rubber production may locally induce water and food insecurity and cause a loss of rural livelihoods” (Chiarreli et al., ). Not only this but the land that is used for planting and harvesting has proven to be economically unsustainable as there is a combination of environmental factors that make it unstable for rubber plantations (Mortel, ). This instability of the land reflects negatively on the neighboring communities that rely on the profits for food security. This concludes that the raw latex that goes into the balloon production process is not as economically friendly as you might think.
Synthetic vs. Organic
Studies have shown that different types of balloons don’t decompose at the same rate based on their natural or synthetic components. This poses a huge concern for wildlife and the environment, In a study on the degradation of Natural and Synthetic Rubber it was found that “additional problems arise from the presence of other biodegradable compounds in natural rubber and latex or from additives which are required for vulcanization or to influence the material properties” (Shah, A. Aamer et. al. 152). Essentially, companies like to focus on the “quality” of their products but are not analyzing the effects of the preservatives or chemicals that are used in the production process. Yet another concerning factor in the materials that go into balloons is the dyes and pigments that are used for the coloring process. Like latex, there are synthetic vs. organic dyes, and both are harvested and manufactured differently. Studies show that approximately 50-70% of organic dyes are azo compounds that are known to have carcinogens and are high pollutants to the environment (A.R. Khataee, et. al.). On the other hand, synthetic dyes are derived from crude oil and include chemicals that come from petroleum (Bernard). Crude oil is one of the major pollutants in the world due to worldwide ...“fractionation, cracking, hydrotreating, combination/blending processes, and manufacturing and transport.”... that contributes to mainly air and water pollution. The simple existence of these raw materials further aggravates the issue of global warming and negatively impacts the environment and its wildlife.
Overview
Latex Balloons are not as environmentally friendly as one might think. Once again, the raw materials that go into the creation of Party balloons are mainly latex, dyes and pigments, coagulants, and water. There is information exposing the true after-effects of the components that go into these materials. The way these materials are harvested is also a big factor in the negative impacts to the environment as they cause deforestation and water and air pollution. Not only this, but the workers involved in the raw material extraction for Balloon production, face economic instability and food insecurity.
Companies must change their policies and raw material extraction processes to accommodate the workers facing hardships because of their business. They should also focus on doing more research regarding the true sustainability of Latex Balloons. Their economic success should allow them to invest in the research and development of more sustainable products. There are always ways to alter the design of a product. We are constantly making discoveries in the world, and all companies need is motivation to change the way we pollute the environment.
Bibliography
Shah, Aamer & Hasan, Fariha & Shah, Ziaullah & Kanwal, Nida & Zeb, Samia. (). Biodegradation of natural and synthetic rubbers: A review. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation. 83. 145-157. 10./j.ibiod..05.004.
With competitive price and timely delivery, Great Time sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
Hibbard, Peter C. “Balloons' Effect on the Environment.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 Apr. , https://www.nytimes.com//04/01/nyregion/l-balloons-effect-on-the-environment-.ht.
“Parã¡ Rubber Tree (Hevea Brasiliensis).” Extinction, https://www.extinction.photo/species/para-rubber-tree/.
“Volume 2.” How Products Are Made, http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/index.html.
“Where Does Latex Come From.” All American Balloons, All American Balloons, 29 July , https://www.allamericanballoons.net/blogs/education/where-does-latex-come-from.
Chiarelli, DD, Rosa, L., Rulli, MC, & D'Odorico, P. (). The water-land-food nexus of natural rubber production. UC Berkeley. http://dx.doi.org/10./j.jclepro..12.021 Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/09x8b0h6
Moortel, Sander Van de. “New Research: Rubber Expansion Threatens Biodiversity and Livelihoods.” Agroforestry World, 15 July , https://blog.worldagroforestry.org/index.php//07/13/new-research-rubber-expansion-threatens-biodiversity-and-livelihoods/.
A.R. Khataee, M.B. Kasiri, “Photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes in the presence of nanostructured titanium dioxide: Influence of the chemical structure of dyes” Journal of Volume 328, Issues 1–2, , https://doi.org/10./j.molcata..05.023.
Bernard, James P. “Where Do Synthetic Organic Dyes Come from? - First Source Worldwide, LLC.” First Source Worldwide, 2 Sept. , https://www.fsw.cc/where-synthetic-organic-dyes-from/.
“Environmental Impact of the Petroleum Industry” Hazardous Substance Research Centers/South & Southwest Outreach Program. 02 June , https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/display.files/fileID/#:~:text=Air%20pollution%20hazards%3A%20Petroleum%20refineries,%2C%20ethylbenzene%2C%20and%20xylene).
Duke, James A. “Hevea Brasiliensis (Willd.) Muell.-Arg.” Hevea Brasiliensis, Handbook of Energy Crops, , https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Hevea_brasiliensis.html.
Evony Perez
Jaquelin Valladares, Marron Capistrano
DES 40A
Professor Cogdell
December 2,
Latex Balloon Waste
For many worldwide events, balloons are a popular product recognized to bring bright joy to welcomed guests. Nearly every single California local can say they have been to a celebration that contains at least one balloon. Many celebrate by releasing these beautiful shiny latex balloons for birth reveals, graduations, weddings, especially to travel to “reach” their loved ones. Guest simply looks up in awe once a balloon is released into the sky disappearing before our eyes. Unfortunately, these latex balloons don't just disappear into thin air, we have seen just as it goes up it must come down. These balloons end up traveling large distances with the help of helium. This paper is to reconsider ballon as a decor choice as they pose risks to our environment, especially when released into the air. Since this pandemic came about no parties were encouraged. Therefore to make any space look festive one has gotten too comfortable in buying various balloons. The wastes after a party are no fun, neither is the final stages of balloons. A latex balloon's life cycle is not environmentally friendly, we see its final remains end up polluting the earth as waste from rubber latex is released out into the world it poses a risk to wildlife especially towards marine animals.
Balloon companies make false claims as soon as they advertise latex balloons to cause no harm to the environment. Customers not only buy latex balloons because they are cheaper but also because they are labeled biodegradable. The easy access of latex balloons and their affordability isn't a good method to get the population to stop these supplies. In Debra Duncan's article, “Balloons pose a risk to wildlife and the environment” we learn that this biodegradable material can last around 6 months to 4 years. Results show that researchers experimented in placing a latex balloon in seawater for 12 months yet still saw it retain its elasticity as it degraded slower (Duncan). Therefore this “bio-degradable” process is still not a significant change for the environment. The only raw material that is natural and able to degrade is the sap stored inside the Hevea Brasiliensis tree. The natural milky latex mostly comes from low-altitude moist forests that allow the product to eventually break down over time. However, the water components being a part of a balloon's raw materials shows the product’s familiarity that allows it to remain compact and float within saltwater. This is bad news as people continue releasing balloons into our environment this is a call for action. Our main concern should be protecting our wildlife as they are forced to deal with the deadly trash remains latex balloons leave behind. As soon as ballon isn't properly disposed of there's no telling what those remains are capable of once bringing attraction to our wildlife.
The extra dyes and pigments don't allow a latex balloon to fully dissolve fast enough to avoid wild animals confusing balloons for this resulted in movements on reusable straws. We need more activism for littering materials that affect the world at the end of its lifecycle much like these latex balloons. Researchers who look into these marine life’s stomach contents who are found on the shores or rescued (Ria .) It shows a clear indication of sea turtle’s colored latex preference as it’s soft much like jellyfishes. Though sea turtles aren’t the only marine animals found confusing human trash for foods. The latex balloon is also found in the digestive system of whales, dolphins, turtles, seals, even fish meaning a wider underlying issue. It is understandable for marine life to view balloons appearing to move and sway in ways much like jellyfish. Something shocking is the way sea turtles live through a long and painful death. The result of a balloon being released into the air and it is getting the energy to be transported towards another marine animal's death. For certain creatures they aren't able to vomit out wasteful products, it simply is just decomposed through the digestive system. The materials found in latex balloons are overall a major threat for these animals' systems as the product doesn't digest quickly enough in the stomach, thus leading to slow deaths.
These innocent animals don't know any better from the harms and chemicals found in the balloons. Though we do, that is why we need to share awareness and proof that regardless of biodegradable labels, the harm is still major when not properly disposed of. Families need to stop releasing balloons into the air and be conscious of their surroundings because they harm the animals. If there are signs of wildlife in local areas one must not release any sorts of balloons. It not only can harm wildfires but can cause power outages after certain volts. Living in a near area and ocean is bad as marine animals can simply confuse it as a meal. In areas near mountains, one must consider the result of balloons getting stuck into trees bushes having animals deal with this trash in their environment. If one can simply celebrate and place balloons into a trashcan it can eliminate nearly half of those lefts of remains from latex balloons and their degradability. Certain string and ribbons can get stuck harming animals in even worse ways. It is common for a family to mistakenly release a balloon so one must take into consideration the pollution it gives out. Especially when the life of a latex balloon only lasts about 24 hours. It is important to know the result in things we never consider as they simply bring us happiness without consideration to the wastes it provides. Is the life of a marine animal worth a latex oval-wrapped ball of air? The result of releasing balloons does take into consideration the coating of latex surrounding the balloon that can cause harm to certain species with latex allergies. Along with the littering, there are excessive emissions from shiny latex ballon spray that can hold up a balloon shine for a longer period.
Fortunately, we have better components that have a faster degradability. Though we still can find better ways to stop the release of balloons as they are only useful for a short time and harm the environment in the long run. These balloons do worse by going back to their original form after air or worse by decomposing into small pieces. Ways we should do better in ways is by using other sustainable solutions such as confetti made from leaves, reusable banners, bubbles, and more recyclable products. Without others being aware of damaging factors the continuation of this product won’t end and others won't find a well-off replacement for it. The fact that they are cheap and easily accessible is bad for our marine creatures. The idea that society is still able to freely release this product should be illegal. It is inhumane of us to buy them simply for the purpose to litter out no matter what forms of significance it is still trash being set out to the world
Even after the low shortage of helium, balloons are still able to be sold worldwide. What needs to be focused on now is a different way to deal with this problem starting with ways to first minimize and reduce current rates of usage. With the addition of new ideas on how to deal with the current helium shortage, the planet will finally be able to recover the years of damage that have been caused by the misuse of helium in the average party balloon. There should be a global shift from using helium for recreational purposes to now restricting it to the most important uses such as MRI scans. The finding of balloons is getting worse and worse every year. Especially during this pandemic the celebration in your hope may can a need for bright colorful latex filled with helium being ready to pop. However, these celebrations are also for those marine life animals found dead once found washed up in the ocean. Hopefully, we put an end to buying then releasing latex balloons as we have seen the damage it causes to the environment.
Bibliography
0'Brien, Lara. “The Environmental Impact of Balloon Releases and Suggestions for Eco-Friendly Alternatives.” Planet Blue, 7 Jan. , http://sustainability.umich.edu/news/balloon-release-impact.
BURCHETTE , D.K. A Study of the Effect of Balloon Releases on the Environment. 29 July , http://seaturtle.org/library/BurchetteDK__Astudyoftheeffectofballoonreleaseso.pdf.
Duncan, Debra. “BALLOONS POSE A RISK TO WILDLIFE & THE ENVIRONMENT.” Environmental Nature Center, https://encenter.org/visit-us/programs/birthday-parties/balloons/.
“History of Balloons.” Partysafe, https://www.partysafe.eu/history-of-balloons.
“Information and Petition to Remove Balloon Litter from the Backcountry of California.” Ban Mylar Helium Filled Balloons, http://www.banmylarballoons.org/.
“Latex Balloons & the Environment.” Environment, https://www.fantasiaballoons.com/services.
M., "Bo" Sears Jr. Wheeler. Helium: The Disappearing Element. Springer, .
Nuttall, William J., et al. “Stop Squandering Helium.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 30 May , https://www.nature.com/articles/a.
Tilghman, Matt. The Helium Crisis: Real and Avoidable. 18 Nov. , http://large.stanford.edu/courses//ph240/tilghman1/.
“Where Does Latex Come From.” All American Balloons, All American Balloons, 29 July , https://www.allamericanballoons.net/blogs/education/where-does-latex-come-from.
Marron Capistrano
28 November
Christina Cogdell
DES 040A Energy, Materials, Design
Latex Balloons - Energy
Although latex balloons are proven to be biodegradable material, other chemical components contained in decorative balloons and the chemical and physical processes to manufacture latex are environmentally taxing in its energy consumption. Since the invention of latex balloons by Michael Faraday in , balloons have been a mainstay in American birthday celebrations and serve other decorative purposes. Not many know that balloons are derived from the natural secretion of the Hevea-Brasiliensis tree, or natural latex. The lifecycle of balloons can be broken down into four stages: the extraction of raw materials, the molding of the latex into the balloon shape, transportation of finished products, and then finally the recycling stage.
There are various methods in which rubber is produced as there are various forms rubber can take up. Rubber can be categorized into two groups: crude rubber or “middle stream” and finished rubber or “tail end stream”. Under these two groups, there are around eight main classifications of rubber: rubber sheet, rubber bar, concentrated latex, synthetic rubber, tire products, dipping products, forming products and extruding products. The processes required are dependent on the form of the rubber, however they all consume heat and electrical energy (Energy Efficiency Index in Rubber Industry).
The sector in which balloons fall under are “dipping products” along with gloves, bandages, toys etc as it involves dipping a mold into liquid latex so that it dries and cures into the shape of the mold. The ratio between electrical and heat energy consumed in the process of making dipping products is roughly 3:7. The heat energy can be generated by either fossil fuels like gasoline, diesel, natural gas or biomasses like firewood or sawdust and is primarily required during the curing stage of production. Electrical energy is used for the pumps, stirring mechanisms, and lighting during the dipping process.
Taking into account the chemical process, the fertilizers required for plantations, primary processing, and transportation, the energy input for natural rubber sums up to roughly 15-16 MJ/Kg (Chapman). The preliminary stage involving the harvesting of the latex from Hevea trees requires relatively little energy as the work is often handed off to workers and plantation farmers.
However, energy input begins to increase during the primary process of dipping and curing. All throughout production, electricity powers the pumps as well as stirring mechanisms within the tanks to prevent the latex from settling. To prepare the molds, they are first heated and dipped into a coagulant, which is composed of water, soap, talc powder, and a calcium-based salt. These ingredients are to ensure that the latex can be evenly distributed throughout the mold and can be removed from the mold without tearing. From there, the latex is breaded, vulcanized, leached, stripped, tumbled, and stored. The vulcanization of the latex varies among manufacturing companies depending on the chemical composition of the latex solution. The leaching and stripping involves dipping the latex molds into water to remove excess coagulant from the balloons. In the final stages, the balloons are placed into a centrifuge to expel water and subsequently tumble dried.
Decorative balloons used for celebrations and gatherings are known for their vibrant colors and often set the tone for the occasion. The pigmentation of balloons are as a result of various dyes added to the liquid latex solution. This could account for the difference in pricing when it comes to balloons as they come in an assortment of colors and finishes.
A prominent pigment that is used in balloon manufacturing is the mineral mica, which gives the balloon a pearlescent finish. Mica refers to a group of complex hydrous potassium–aluminum silicate minerals that produces a different color depending on the chemical composition (Stengl, Subrt, Bakardjieva, Kalendova, Kalenda). Mica pigmentation is determined by particle size, metal oxide thickness, granularity and finalized after the annealing process. Each pigment has a different annealing temperature and can largely vary; for example, light gold has an annealing temperature of 150 degrees Celsius while Green/Blue has an annealing temperature of 800 degrees Celsius. Though it may seem harmless, mining for mica is an extremely labor intensive task and destructive to the environment. In addition to the copious amounts of thermal and chemical energy consumed in the process of mica pigment production, mines for mica is notorious for child labor exploitation and illegal mining sites that endanger the health of mine workers.
Mica pigments are often paired with a thin layer of metal oxides, like titanium oxide, to achieve a shiny, lustrous finish. The milling of metal oxides can either use up mechanical, thermal, or chemical energy using various methods.
The powderization of metal oxides and the means through which it is accomplished is contingent on its use. Mechanical routes like grinding, milling, alloying, mechanical disordered, or cold steam processes are not apt for commercial use as the powder particles are not fine nor uniform enough for consumer use. The metal oxides we see in balloon production are likely prepared through atomization, which is considered to produce the highest quality powder commercially. Atomization refers to the procedure in which a slurry of molten metal is disintegrated into droplets by applying high pressure gas, dried, and then calcined. Ultimately, depending on the use, the methods can often be in combination with one another rather than just one or the other.
The latex balloon business began to boom around -, in which a retardant for the coagulation of liquid latex was developed and transport was possible without degradation of the latex. Mass manufacturing was able to take place as liquid latex was transported from countries that grew the “rubber tree” Hevea Brasiliensis to other countries. Hevea Brasiliensis originated in the Amazon rainforest in South America, but due to high demand for rubber products, countries with the appropriate climatic conditions are able to accommodate the tree. Since then, latex balloon factories have become widespread around the globe. In , South and Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam became the largest manufacturers of natural rubber latex, with Thailand accounting for 30% of the world’s latex production (FAOSTAT). Based on data collected in Thailand, there are 89 total factories that produce dripping product latex, and the specific energy consumption average is around 105.81 MJ/kg while the benchmark average energy consumption is 86.77 MJ/kg.
Natural latex production however, has several advantages compared to other manufactured goods. While the degradation process still takes anywhere from 6 months to 4 years to fully decompose, the natural latex itself is entirely biodegradable. Additionally, Hevea Brasiliensis trees effectively sequesters carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as well as promotes biodiversity in surrounding areas near plantations. Agricultural monoculture oftentimes disrupts the natural biodiversity and over time degrades the soil, however latex tree plantations are an exception in that fertility in the soil remains stable.
The majority of the energy used in the entire scale of production is heavy during the actual primary processing of latex products, especially in dipping products like balloons. A solution that would significantly decrease the consumption of energy within the rubber latex industry is recycling. The energy it takes to produce from recycled material is considerably reduced. Take for example, recycling 4 rubber tires rather than producing new material reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 323 pounds (Conserve Energy Future). The tree plantations, extraction of raw materials, as well as the byproducts/waste created are relatively less impactful toward the environment compared to plastic or other synthetic materials. Though it still poses its risks and dangers towards the environment, it is a promising hope that the latex industry could take steps toward a more sustainable practice during manufacturing and effectively reduce energy/fossil fuel/biomass consumption in the future.
Works Cited
A. Rinkesh, “Rubber Recycling: Process to Recycle Rubber and It's Benefits.” Conserve Energy Future, 25 Oct. , https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/recyclingrubber.php.
2. Duncan, Debra. “Balloons Pose a Risk to Wildlife & The Environment.” Environmental Nature Center, https://encenter.org/visit-us/programs/birthday-parties/balloons/.
3. Faostat, https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home.
4. “Balloon.” How Products Are Made, http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Balloon.html.
5. Project on Studying of Energy Efficiency Index in Rubber Industry. Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, Nov. , http://www2.dede.go.th/kmberc/datacenter/factory/rubber/RubberEng.pdf.
6. Václav Štengl, Jan Šubrt, Snejana Bakardjieva, Andrea Kalendova, Petr Kalenda, The preparation and characteristics of pigments based on mica coated with metal oxides, Dyes and Pigments, Volume 58, Issue 3, , Pages 239-244, ISSN -,
https://doi.org/10./S-(03)-X.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/SX)
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