{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,4]],"date-time":"2026-10-04T07:30:30Z","timestamp":1791099030779,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,27]],"date-time":"2025-06-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750982400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"European Commission through the LIFE program","award":["LIFE21 ENV-FI-101074439"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LIFE21 ENV-FI-101074439"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study investigates hazardous emissions from foundry binder systems, comparing organic resins (phenolic urethane, furan, and alkaline-phenolic) and clay-bonded green sand with inorganic alternatives (sodium silicate and geopolymer). The research was conducted at the Fundaci\u1f79n Azterlan pilot plant (Spain), involving controlled chamber tests for the production of 60 kg iron alloy castings in 110 kg sand molds. The molds were evaluated under two configurations: homogeneous systems, where both mold and cores were manufactured using the same binder (five trials), and heterogeneous systems, where different binders were used for mold and cores (four trials). Each mold was placed in a metallic box fitted with a lid and an integrated gas extraction duct. The lid remained open during pouring and was closed immediately afterward to enable efficient evacuation of casting gases through the extraction system. Although the box was not completely airtight, it was designed to direct most exhaust gases through the duct. Along the extraction system line, different sampling instruments were strategically located for the precise measurement of contaminants: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phenol, multiple forms of particulate matter (including crystalline silica content), and gases produced during pyrolysis. Across the nine trials, inorganic binders demonstrated significant reductions in gas emissions and priority pollutants, achieving decreases of over 90% in BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) and over 94% in PAHs compared to organic systems. Gas emissions were also substantially reduced, with CO emissions lowered by over 30%, NOx by more than 98%, and SO2 by over 75%. Conducted under the Greencasting LIFE project (LIFE 21 ENV\/FI\/101074439), this work provides empirical evidence supporting sodium silicate and geopolymer binders as viable, sustainable solutions for minimizing occupational and ecological risks in metal casting processes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules30132765","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,30]],"date-time":"2025-06-30T11:37:51Z","timestamp":1751283471000},"page":"2765","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Assessment of Harmful Emissions from Multiple Binder Systems in Pilot-Scale Sand Casting"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"30","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0283-2869","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Erika","family":"Garitaonandia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"AZTERLAN, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Aliendalde Auzunea, n\u00b06, 48200 Durango, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-1324-9758","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andoni","family":"Ibarra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"AZTERLAN, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Aliendalde Auzunea, n\u00b06, 48200 Durango, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8634-2084","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Angelika","family":"Kmita","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Academic Centre for Materials and Nanotechnology, AGH University of Krakow, A. Mickiewicza 30 St., 30-059 Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2434-6025","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rafa\u0142","family":"Da\u0144ko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Foundry Engineering, AGH University of Krakow, A. Mickiewicza 30 St., 30-059 Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6988-3329","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mariusz","family":"Holtzer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Foundry Engineering, AGH University of Krakow, A. Mickiewicza 30 St., 30-059 Krakow, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"(2025, February 24). CAEF Statistics. Available online: https:\/\/www.caef.eu\/statistics."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"(2024). 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Available online: https:\/\/greenfoundry-life.com\/documentation\/dissemination-material\/improve-the-use-of-natural-resources-inorganic-binders-in-iron-and-steel-foundries-case-of-the-green-foundry-life-project\/at_download\/file."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.51983\/ajsat-2018.7.1.1025","article-title":"Analysis of Chemically Bonded Sand Used for Molding in Foundry","volume":"7","author":"Digvijay","year":"2018","journal-title":"Asian J. Sci. Appl. Technol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7922","DOI":"10.1021\/es071657o","article-title":"Characterization of Hydrocarbon Emissions from Green Sand Foundry Core Binders by Analytical Pyrolysis","volume":"41","author":"Wang","year":"2007","journal-title":"Env. Sci Technol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nowak, D., and Bobrowski, A. (2024). Barley Malt as a Binder for Molding Sands\u2014Gas Evolution and Surface Quality of Iron Castings. 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