Science behind the common Household Battery

Batteries are used in our everyday lives. Whether it be powering up a walkman, a remote controller, or even a hearing aid, people of all ages resort to batteries as a power source. As more and more batteries are being used, more and more are being manufactured, and more and more are being disposed of in the wrong way. Why does it matter how we dispose of batteries? Well, I will inform you right now.

First off, I would like to start off with the common Household Alkaline battery’s composition. First, manufacturers, place a steel can to contain the cell’s ingredients and chemicals, to then be able to place the cathode, which are the electrodes reduced by the electromagnetic reaction. Electrodes are the location where electrochemical reactions take place. Once the steel can is placed, a Manganese dioxide mixture and carbon plus conductors carrying a natural positive charge are molded into the circular walls of the compartment. After the mixture is placed, a small layer of fibrous fabric is placed on top of the mixture, in a circular motion, to separate the electrodes. Then, the anode, or the electrode which is oxidized, is placed inside with powdered zinc metal in both sides of the anode, along with potassium hydroxide electrolytes in water, which facilitates movement of ions in cell. Finally, a brass pin is placed in the exact middle of the cell to conduct electricity to the outside circuit. What, you may ask, is so harmful about these batteries? Well, a lot of batteries are made in the same process, but with different materials. For instance, there are many types of batteries which use Mercury, a highly dangerous contaminant that is not only harmful to the environment but harmful to us. Mercury and other hazardous compounds like zinc, lead, nickel, manganese all leach from the batteries, and pollute our solid waste stream, which could potentially harm the ocean, which most of waste goes to. These hazardous materials could also pollute lakes and streams, as metals vaporize into the air. Batteries that leach can expose our environment and potable water sources to a lot of hazardous compounds like lead, or even acid. It’s been learned that 88 percent of total mercury and 50 percent of total cadmium found in the waste system and other places were all caused by leaching dry-cell batteries.

Our environment and world is being polluted every day, and batteries are very big contributors. If we want to help our environment, we should be more cautious of how we dispose of batteries, and what kinds we buy. We should find other energy sources and cut down battery usage as much as we can, or eventually the world will not be able to support the pollution coming from batteries.