Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I would like to test the effects of r22 Freon on the environment. I am in the 11th grade and live with two professionals in the field of air conditioning. My mother and father are state certified air conditioning contractors in Florida. My question is, how can I perform tests on plants to test my theory that the chemicals in Freon will have a harmful effect on life, as well as the depletion of the ozone layer? Any suggestions?

I would like to test the effects of r22 Freon on the environment. I am in the 11th grade and live with two professionals in the field of air conditioning. My mother and father are state certified air conditioning contractors in Florida. My question is, how can I perform tests on plants to test my theory that the chemicals in Freon will have a harmful effect on life, as well as the depletion of the ozone layer? Any suggestions?

Hi, Kirk.

I know very little about freon. A google search turned up this page at the EPA: http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/phaseou ... seout.html. In it, the EPA states "One important thing a homeowner can do for the environment, regardless of the refrigerant used, is to select a reputable dealer that employs service technicians who are EPA-certified to handle refrigerants. Technicians often call this certification "Section 608 certification," referring to the part of the Clean Air Act that requires minimizing releases of ozone-depleting chemicals from HVAC equipment."

I'm not sure how you would work with freon in the environment without releasing into the environment. It seems that if you wanted to, you'd need a system that would "contain and use refrigerants responsibly -- that is, by recovering, recycling, and reclaiming, and by reducing leaks -- their ozone depletion and global warming consequences are reduced." You'd need a closed systems, almost like putting plants within an HVAC system. Your parents might be able to help you think through how to make a closed system. Since the government already plans to eliminate the use of r22 because it damages the environment, I would choose a different project.

"Availability of R-22

The Clean Air Act does not allow any refrigerant to be vented into the atmosphere during installation, service, or retirement of equipment. Therefore, R-22 must be recovered and recycled (for reuse in the same system), reclaimed (reprocessed to the same purity standard as new R-22), or destroyed. After 2020, the servicing of R-22-based systems will rely solely on recycled or reclaimed refrigerants. It is expected that reclamation and recycling will ensure that existing supplies of R-22 will last longer and be available to service a greater number of systems. As noted above, chemical manufacturers will no longer be able to produce, and companies will no longer be able to import, R-22 for use in new A/C equipment after 2010, but they can continue production and import of R-22 until 2020 for use in servicing existing equipment. Given this schedule, which was established in 1993, the transition away from R-22 to the use of ozone-friendly refrigerants should be smooth. For the next 10 years or more, R-22 should continue to be available for all systems that require R-22 for servicing."

If you're interested in environmental science, you can check out the project ideas at the sciencebuddies.org site: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... EnvSci,0,0

Good luck!

Hi kirkross1,

This answer to this question will depend on the rules of your science fair. Freon can be a harmful chemical, so your science fair may have specific rules that govern the use of it, along with other chemicals. Please talk with your teacher or one of the people in charge of your science fair and what the rules are for your particular fair.

Hello. We noticed you had two separate threads going for the same questions. Please keep all questions / responses to one thread to help our experts answer your questions based on what has already been discussed. Good luck with your project, and thanks for using Science Buddies!