Characteristic of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in fly ash from incinerators in china

Dioxins emissions from bio-medical waste incineration: A systematic review on emission factors, inventories, trends and health risk studies

COVID-19 has aggravated the biomedical waste generation all over the world and the concern for its safe disposal is on the rise. The vast majority of healthcare systems employ incineration as their treatment method considering its agility to reduce the waste volume by up to 95-96% and high-temperature inactivation of infectious biological materials. However, incinerator emission is a significant contributor of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) according to various national inventories across the globe. Bio-Medical Waste Incinerators (BMWIs) are the dominant form of incinerator plants in developing nations and hence BMWI emissions were found to contribute lion's share of national dioxins inventories in most of these countries. The Stockholm Convention on POPs played a key role in imbibing significant urge on the dl-POPs monitoring studies of incinerators internationally and on controlling the average incinerator emission levels. Though many national/international agencies endorse a stringent incinerator stack emission standard of 0.1 ngTEQ/Nm3, there are some differences observed in nation-to-nation regulatory scenarios. This paper reviews and reports on the dioxins emission and health risk studies associated with bio-medical waste incineration over the last three decades (1990-2020) with a comprehensive spatial and temporal emission trend analysis. An overview of important national and international regulations, national inventories and emission factors for the biomedical waste incineration sector is also reviewed in detail. The study observes that continuous regulatory monitoring and logical relaxations can enhance the performance of the existing facilities ensuring low emissions and minimal risk.

Factors affecting the durability of dimethyl dithiocarbamate-stabilized air pollution control (APC) residues derived from municipal solid waste incineration

Sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate (SDD) is widely used for stabilizing heavy metals to minimize pollution from air pollution control (APC) residues derived from municipal solid waste incineration. However, the effect of environmental conditions on heavy metal leaching from SDD-stabilized APC residues remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the durability of SDD-stabilized APC residues and determine the relationship between heavy metal leaching and environmental factors, including pH, temperature, and oxygen. The results revealed that accelerated SDD decomposition and the decline in durability of SDD-stabilized APC residues were caused by acidic and aerated conditions and temperatures above 40 °C. A decrease in pH from 12.25 to 4.69 increased the Cd and Pb concentrations in SDD-stabilized APC residue leachate from below detection (0.002 mg/L) to 1.32 mg/L and 0.04 mg/L to 3.79 mg/L, respectively. Heating at 100 °C for 2 d increased the Cd and Pb concentrations from below detection (0.002 mg/L and 0.01 mg/L) to 2.96 mg/L and 0.47 mg/L, respectively. Aeration for 5 d increased the Cd and Pb concentrations from below detection to 0.09 mg/L and 0.49 mg/L, respectively. The decline in durability was attributed to acid hydrolysis, thermal decomposition, and oxidative damage of SDD, resulting in breakage of the chelated sulfur-metal bond, which was confirmed by the decrease in the oxidizable fraction of heavy metals and the SDD content. This study improves the understanding of the factors contributing to the decline in durability of heavy metals in SDD-stabilized APC residues, which is important for ensuring the long-term stabilization and environmental safety of these residues.

Subcritical hydrothermal treatment of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash: A review

Municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWI-FA) is a hazardous waste generated from the incineration process, and the harmless treatment of MSWI-FA has attracted widespread attention. Subcritical hydrothermal treatment is competitive in achieving the harmless treatment and resource recycling of MSWI-FA. It exhibits excellent performance in degrading dioxins, stabilizing heavy metals, and converting MSWI-FA into zeolite or tobermorite at low temperatures. This paper clearly introduces the characteristics of MSWI-FA, roundly summarizes the current research status of treating MSWI-FA by subcritical hydrothermal methods, and deeply clarifies the mechanisms of dioxins degradation, zeolite/tobermorite synthesis, and heavy metals stabilization. Considering the research status of handling MSWI-FA by subcritical hydrothermal methods, future research directions are proposed. Owing to the advantages of high efficiency, energy-saving, and environmental sustainability, subcritical hydrothermal treatment of MSWI-FA exhibits promising prospects for industrialization.

Footprints in compositions, PCDD/Fs and heavy metals in medical waste fly ash: Large-scale evidence from 17 medical waste thermochemical disposal facilities across China

Chemical compositions, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) profiles and heavy metals (HMs) leachability of medical waste fly ash (MWFA) from 17 thermochemical treatment facilities in eight Chinese provinces were first investigated. Large-scale and extended monitoring revealed high chloride and Zn contents and similar PCDD/Fs congener profiles in MWFA. Particularly, the PCDD/Fs and HMs concentrations implied greater toxicity than that observed for municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash (MSWIFA). The maximum international toxic equivalent value of PCDD/Fs in MWFA was 40 times that of MSWIFA, and the leaching concentrations of Zn and Hg were 15 and 4 times those of MSWIFA, respectively. Notably, MWFA characteristics suggest the possibility of recycling and sustainable disposal solutions owing to the high Cl and Zn content with good recovery instead of landfill disposal. Similarities in chemical composition, PCDD/Fs homolog distribution, and water-solubility of chloride salts allows co-processing of MWFA and MSWIFA via water-washing detoxification and thermal treatment, such as that used in cement kilns. This study supplements existing literature on the characteristics and risk management of MWFA.

Suppression on PCDD/Fs formation by a novel inhibition system consisting of phosphorous-based compounds coupled with a chlorine-deactivation material

The SN-containing inhibitors are effective for suppressing the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in the post-combustion zone of municipal solid waste incineration systems, but the industrial application of the SN-containing inhibitors is restricted by the high cost and the generation of corrosive by-products (e.g., SOx). To develop cost-effective and environmentally friendly inhibitors, a new inhibition system consisting of P-based compounds (i.e., NH₄H₂PO₄ (ADP) and KH₂PO₄ (PDP)) and a chlorine-deactivation material (CaO) was proposed in this study. Also, the performance of this inhibition system in terms of suppressing PCDD/Fs formation was evaluated in an experimental system which simulated PCDD/Fs generation in the post-combustion zone. Generally, the formation of PCDD/Fs was effectively suppressed by over 95 % by the mixed inhibitors (ADP/CaO and PDP/CaO) and the individual inhibitor of ADP. Based on the observation on PCDD/F-fingerprints and the chemical speciation of Cl and Cu, the mechanisms of inhibitors were identified as: (i) passivating metal catalyst by converting the speciation of Cu from chlorides and Cu²⁺ with high reactivities to phosphates, oxides, and Cu⁺ with low reactivities, and (ii) deactivating Cl by CaO to prevent the formation of organic Cl which was critical for PCDD/Fs formation. In addition, both mechanisms were supported by (i) the better performance of inhibitors on suppressing the PCDD/F-congeners formed via de novo pathway than congeners synthesized from chlorophenols and (ii) lower degrees of chlorination of PCDD/Fs for reaction systems with CaO involved than other systems.

Formation and control of dioxins during thermal desorption remediation of chlorine and non-chlorine organic contaminated soil

Formation and emission of dioxins is a great concern during thermal desorption remediation of organic contaminated soil. The differential formation of dioxins from chlorine organic contaminated soil (COCS) and non-chlorine organic contaminated soil (NCOCS) is still unclear and the control technique for the dioxins generated is an urgent need. In this study, the formation and distribution characteristics of dioxins were investigated in the thermal desorption unit combined with flue gas purification system during COCS and NCOCS treatments. Although organic contaminates were well desorbed, de-novo formation of dioxins was observed for both COCS and NCOCS, as well as synthesis from precursors for NCOCS. The gas-phase dioxin in the flue gas purification system continuously decreased during NCOCS thermal desorption, while the dioxin concentration in the quench tower sharply increased from 0.46 to 2.13 ng/Nm³ through de-novo synthesis during COCS treatment. Furthermore, the emission of dioxins only slightly reduced (for COCS) or even increased (for NCOCS) at 70% operating load. The catalytic adsorption tower within modified activated carbon and V₅-Mo₅-Ti catalyst after bag filter can reduce the emission of dioxins up to 91.4% at the condition of secondary combustion chamber closure, demonstrating that the catalytic adsorption tower can replace the secondary combustion chamber for controlling dioxin emission. More importantly, the highly toxic low-chlorinated polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDFs) were selectively removed from flue gas by the catalytic adsorption tower. These results reveal the differential formation characteristics of dioxins during COCS and NCOCS thermal treatments and highlight V₅-Mo₅-Ti/ modified activated carbon as a promising catalytic adsorption material to control the emission of dioxins from the thermal desorption of organic contaminated soil.

Characterization of Dioxins and Heavy Metals in Chelated Fly Ash

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash contains highly toxic heavy metals and polychlorinated dibenzo dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs), which are a type of hazardous waste. The pollution characteristics of fly ash have changed with the development of stoker grate incinerators and the fly ash treatment technology; however, no research has been focused on this in recent years. In this study, 12 fly ash samples were collected from 9 grate power plants in southeastern China, and their PCDD/Fs and heavy metal concentrations were determined and compared to previous fly ash data. The PCDD/Fs concentration in fly ash was in the range of 0.002–0.051 ngI-TEQ/g, with an average of 0.027 ngI-TEQ/g. Furthermore, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD and OCDD made the most significant contributions to PCDDs. The distribution of 10 dioxins exhibited bimodal, unimodal, and normal characteristics. Linear fitting demonstrated a strong correlation between toxicity and 1,2,3,7,8-PentaCDD, 1,2,3,7,8-PentaCDF, and 2,3,4,7,8-PentaCDF. Concerning heavy metals, Pb poses a significant environmental risk. This is the first time that fly ash treated with a chelating agent has been thoroughly analyzed, which is vital for understanding the pollution level and treatment of fly ash derived from current power plants.

Environmentally Persistent Free Radical Promotes Lung Cancer Progression by Regulating the Expression Profile of miRNAs

Background: Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are generated in the combustion processes of solid waste and can cause adverse influences on human health, especially lung diseases. Lung cancer is one of the most serious malignancies in recent years, which the global deaths rate is about 1.6 million every year. Methods and Results: In this study, we verified that ZnO/MCB EPFRs promote cell proliferation and migration, impedes cell apoptosis in lung cancer. Furthermore, we found that ZnO/MCB could influence the expression of miRNAs (miR-18a and miR-34a). In vivo, ZnO/MCB and ZnO EPFRs can reduce the weight and survival rate of BALB/c male mice more than that of BALB/c female mice. In the ZnO/MCB exposed group, male mice lung became even smaller, while the female mice the lung increased significantly. Taken together, our results provide evidence for assessing the potential health risks of persistent free radicals on fine particles. Conclusions: This study linked toxicity of EPFRs with miRNAs revealed the potential health hazard to human lung cancer.

Investigation of Mechanochemically Treated Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Fly Ash as Replacement for Cement

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash has been classified as hazardous waste in China because of the leachable toxic heavy metals and high concentrations of chlorides and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). Currently, the main treatment method is still landfilling after chemical treatment or cement solidification, and an effective approach to realize fly ash utilization is still lacking. In the present work, the fly ash was firstly water-washed to remove the soluble chlorine salts, which can improve the performance of the produced cement mortar in later work. Mechanochemical pre-treatment was adopted to destroy the PCDD/Fs and improve the heavy metals’ stabilization. The results show that 75% of PCDD/Fs can be degraded and that most of the heavy metals are stabilized. After the mechanochemical pre-treatment, the average particle size of the fly ash decreases to 2–5 μm, which is beneficial for promoting the activation energy and accelerating the hydration process in cement mortar production. The compressive and flexural strengths of the fly ash cement mortar improve to 6.2 MPa and 32.4 MPa, respectively, when 35% of the OPC is replaced by treated fly ash. The similarity in the 3-day and 28-day strength with or without the addition of the treated ash shows the light influence of the fly ash addition. Thus, the mechanochemical process can stabilize the heavy metals and activate the fly ash, allowing it to partly substitute ordinary Portland cement in building materials, such as cement raw materials and concrete.

Development of phosphorus-based inhibitors for PCDD/Fs suppression

Inhibition mechanisms of sulfur-, nitrogen- and phosphorus- based inhibitors on the de novo synthesis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) were studied by exploring speciation evolution of carbon, chorine and copper in fly ash under laboratory-scale experiments. Significant inhibition of PCDD/Fs by thiourea (TUA) and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP) was observed as 97.2% and 98.2%, respectively, except for potassium dihydrogen phosphate (PDP). ADP and PDP exhibited better inhibition on PCDFs than on PCDDs, whereas TUA exhibited the opposite effect. After adding inhibitors, the proportion of C-O/C=O/O-C=O bonds at the surface of fly ash increased, and stronger oxidation of carbon occurred, together with the conversion from Cu²⁺ to Cu⁺ and the inhibition of organic chlorine formation. Kinetic model results indicated that TUA might either suppress the carbon gasification or promote the decomposition of PCDD/Fs, resulting in a remarkable inhibition of PCDD/Fs formation. Simulated chemical reaction equilibrium further comfirmed that catalytic metal could be deactivated into CuS and Cu₂S by sulfur, and into Cu₂P₂O₇ by phosphorus. Moreover, NH₃, decomposed from TUA and ADP, was able to convert Cl₂ into HCl, albeit with a weaker chlorination ability. This study of inhibition mechanisms is useful for the exploration and utilization of efficient inhibitors in full-scale incinerators.

Co-processing of the MSWI flue gas in a lab-scale coal-fired drop-tube furnace

Coal-fired power plants are characterized by high combustion temperature and well-equipped air pollution control devices. The trace organic pollutants in the municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) flue gas would be completely destroyed if the MSWI flue gas was injected into the high temperature area of a coal-fired boiler. In this study, the emission characteristics of common gas pollutants, heavy metals, and dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in both flue gas and bottom ash when the MSWI flue gas was injected into a lab-scale coal-fired drop-tube furnace were investigated. After co-processing, the concentrations of NOx, SO2, CO, and all heavy metals in the flue gas emitted from the coal-fired drop-tube furnace did not change a lot. However, the concentration of HCl in the flue gas from drop-tube furnace increased after coupling the MSWI flue gas. Moreover, the I-TEQ values of the PCDD/Fs in the flue gas and bottom ash after coupling the MSWI flue gas were 0.037 ng I-TEQ/Nm3 and 0.63 ng I-TEQ/g, respectively. The main formation pathways of PCDD/Fs in the flue gas of drop-tube furnace were suggested to be de novo synthesis and precursor synthesis. Furthermore, the effects of oxygen content and temperature on the formation of PCDD/Fs were also studied. The reduction efficiencies of the total amount of PCDD/Fs in the flue gas from the co-processing system were more than 60%, and even reached 90%. Therefore, co-processing of the MSWI flue gas in coal-fired power plants might be an environmentally friendly technology.

Emerging trends in municipal solid waste incineration ashes research: a bibliometric analysis from 1994 to 2018

The rapidly increasing generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) threatens the environmental integrity and well-being of humans at a global level. Incineration is regarded as a technically sound technology for the management of MSW. However, the effective management of the municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) ashes remains a challenge. This article presents the global dynamics of MSWI ashes research from 1994 to 2018 based on a bibliometric analysis of 1810 publications (research articles and conference proceedings) extracted from the Web of Science database, followed by a comprehensive summary on the research developments in the field. The results indicate the rapid growth of annual publications on MSWI ashes research, with China observed as the most productive country within the study period. Waste Management, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Chemosphere and Waste Management & Research, which accounted for 35.42% of documents on MSWI research, are the most prominent journals in the field. The most critical thematic areas on this topic are MSWI ashes characterisation, dioxin emissions from fly ash, valorisation of bottom ash and heavy metal removal. The evolution of MSWI ashes treatment technologies is also discussed, together with the challenges and future research directions. This is the first bibliometric analysis on global MSWI ashes research based on a sufficiently large dataset, which could provide new insights for researchers to initiate further research with leading institutions/authors and ultimately advance this research field.

The bibliometric analysis and review of dioxin in waste incineration and steel sintering

Facing the common treatment problems of dioxin whose major sources come from waste incineration and steel sintering, we handled a massive literature dataset from the Web of Science database and analyzed the research hotspot and development trend in this field in the past 40 years by bibliometric method. The result indicates that the field of dioxins generated from waste incineration and steel sintering has entered a stage of rapid development since 1990. China occupies a leading position in terms of comprehensive strength with the largest publications output as well as a greater influence in recent years. The most productive institutions and journals are Zhejiang University and Chemosphere, respectively. In addition, the most commonly used keywords in statistical analysis are "fly ash," "emission control," "risk assessment," "congener profile," "formation mechanisms," "sources," "catalysis," and "inhibition," which reflects the current main research direction in this field. The similarities and differences of dioxins generated in waste incineration and steel sintering are reviewed in this paper, which will provide guidance for the future research.

Male workers' exposure characteristics of ΣPCDD/F from a municipal solid waste incinerator in south China through hair analysis

Human hair, flue gas and fly ash from a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in south China were collected and analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF). The ΣPCDD/F level in hair from male workers were higher than those from residents. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) suggested that ΣPCDD/F in flue gas is an external source of male workers' hair ΣPCDD/F. Results of daily intake of ΣPCDD/F by inhaling flue gas suggested that the inhalation exposure of ΣPCDD/F was at a slight health risk. For the male workers directly exposed to the MSWI power plant, ΣPCDD/F levels in their hair were significantly higher than those who were non-directly exposed. Moreover, a significantly positive relationship was obtained between ΣPCDD/F levels in male workers' hair and the working time. The result of correlation analysis suggested that 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD and OCDD could be level indicator congeners to estimate ΣPCDD/F levels. In addition, 2,3,7,8-TCDD could be applied as TEQ indicator congener to characterize the hair of MSWI male workers.

Levels and fingerprints of chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons in fly ashes from the typical industrial thermal processes: Implication for the co-formation mechanism

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) and iron and steel making plants are two of important sources of chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons (CAHs). In this study, the typical CAHs including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) and chlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Cl-PAHs) in fly ash samples collected from MSWI, iron ore sintering (IOS) and steel smelting (SS) plants were simultaneously identified and quantified. The total concentrations of quantified CAHs in different fly ashes showed a large variation (5.88-4255 ng/g). Cl-PAHs were found to be predominant CAH species in most of fly ash samples, and the concentrations of mono-chlorinated PAHs in all fly ashes were obviously higher than those of di-chlorinated PAHs. The fingerprints of CAHs in MSWI fly ashes were mainly characterized by the high content of PCDDs, especially the hexa-CDD homologue. However, in IOS and SS fly ashes, tetra- to hexa-CDF homologues showed the higher abundance, and tetra-to octa-CDFs predominated over tetra- to octa-CDDs by factors of 3-26. The strong concentration correlations were observed between tetra- to octa-CDF homologues, middle-chlorinated PCN and PCB homologues, between tetra- to octa-CDD homologues, between low-chlorinated PCB and PCN homologues, between di-chlorinated PAH homologues, and between deca-CB and highly chlorinated PCN homologues. These results implied that the main formation mechanism of CAHs might be significantly varied with the change of chlorination degree and aromatic ring structure.

Residue concentrations and profiles of PCDD/Fs in ash samples from multiple thermal industrial processes in Vietnam: Formation, emission levels, and risk assessment

The residue concentrations and congener profiles of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) were examined in fly ash and bottom ash released from different thermal industrial processes in Vietnam. PCDD/F concentrations and toxic equivalents (TEQs) in the ash samples varied greatly and decreased in the following order: steel making > aluminum recycling > medical waste incinerator > boilers > municipal waste incinerator > tin production > brick production > coal-fired power plant. Both the precursor and de novo synthesis were estimated as possible formation mechanisms of dioxins in the ash, but the latter pathway was more prevalent. The highest emission factors were estimated for the ash released from some steel-making plants, aluminum-recycling facilities, and a medical waste incinerator. The emission factors of PCDD/Fs in ash released from some steel plants of this study were two to six times higher than the UNEP Toolkit default value. The annual emission amount of ash-bound dioxins produced by 15 facilities in our study was estimated to be 26.2 to 28.4 g TEQ year^-1, which mainly contributed by 3 steel plants. Health risk related to the dioxin-containing ash was evaluated for workers at the studied facilities, indicating acceptable risk levels for almost all individuals. More comprehensive studies on the occurrence and impacts of dioxins in waste streams from incineration and industrial processes and receiving environments should be conducted, in order to promote effective waste management and health protection scheme for dioxins and related compounds in this rapidly industrializing country.

Mechanical activation of fly ash from MSWI for utilization in cementitious materials

In the present study, the physicochemical characteristics of municipal solid waste incineration fly ashes (FA) from circulating fluidized bed (CFB) or grate furnaces are studied in detail. It is identified that the CFB FA, containing high amount of Si and Al, has better potential and properties for utilization than the grate FA, which is much richer in chlorides. Mechanical activation (MA) allows amending the properties of CFB FA, thus preparing for its subsequent utilization in cementitious materials. Compared to simple water washing, MA treatment of CFB FA further reduces the residual amount of chlorine in fly ash from 0.72 to 0.33 wt%, giving the possibility of doubling the capacity of cement kiln for fly ash disposal. The improvement in chlorine removal relates to the conversion of FA compounds from a crystalline to an amorphous state, increasing the solubility of sparingly soluble chlorides. During the curing of mortars, traces of aluminum or other nonferrous metals in CFB FA are oxidized, liberating lots of hydrogen gas; this would cause expansion problems and significantly reduce the flexural and compressive strength. MA treatment of CFB FA solves such expansion problems by exhausting these reactions in advance, respectively enhancing flexural and compressive strength from 5.7 and 35.3 MPa to 9.1 and 56.9 MPa, which is comparable to the performance of Ordinary Portland Cement. Finally, an innovative pre-treatment technique for CFB FA, combining wet ball milling and counter-current two-stage water washing, is proposed for facilitating its recycling.

Characteristics and Treatment Methods of Medical Waste Incinerator Fly Ash: A Review

Medical waste incinerator fly ash (MWIFA) is quite different from municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash (MSWIFA) due to its special characteristics of high levels of chlorines, dioxins, carbon constituents, and heavy metals, which may cause irreversible harm to environment and human beings if managed improperly. However, treatment of MWIFA has rarely been specifically mentioned. In this review, various treatment techniques for MSWIFA, and their merits, demerits, applicability, and limitations for MWIFA are reviewed. Natural properties of MWIFA including the high contents of chlorine and carbonaceous matter that might affect the treatment effects of MWIFA are also depicted. Finally, several commendatory and feasible technologies such as roasting, residual carbon melting, the mechanochemical technique, flotation, and microwave treatment are recommended after an overall consideration of the special characteristics of MWIFA, balancing environmental, technological, economical information.

Comprehensive diagnosis of PCDD/F emission from three hazardous waste incinerators

Comprehensive diagnosis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) emissions was systematically conducted on three hazardous waste incinerators (HWIs). Results indicated that PCDD/F mainly existed in the solid phase before the bag filter. This was especially true for higher chlorinated dioxin and furan congeners (hexa-, hepta- and octa-). The aged bag filters tended to increase the gas-phase PCDD/F. Emissions also increased due to PCDD/F desorption from circulated scrubbing solution and plastic packing media used in the wet scrubber. The PCDD/F concentrations were elevated during the start-up process, reaching up to 5.4 times higher than those measured during the normal operating period. The ratios of PCDFs/PCDDs revealed that the surface-catalysed de novo synthesis was the dominant pathway of PCDD/F formation. Installation of more efficient fabric filters, intermittent replacement of circulated scrubbing solution will result in reduced PCDD/F emission. Additionally, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF correlated well with the international toxic equivalent quantity (I-TEQ) value, which suggests that 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF could act as an I-TEQ indicator.

Catalytic decomposition of PCDD/Fs on a V2O5-WO3/nano-TiO2 catalyst: effect of NaCl

The effect of NaCl addition on the properties, activity, and deactivation of a V₂O₅-WO₃/nano-TiO₂ catalyst was investigated during catalytic decomposition of gas-phase polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). The extent of deactivation relates directly to the NaCl loading of the catalyst. Poisoning by sodium neutralizes acid sites, interacts strongly with active VO_x species, and reduces the redox capacity of catalysts. In addition, NaCl is also a chlorine source and may actually accelerate the synthesis of new PCDD/Fs. Washing a catalyst with dilute sulfuric acid largely restores catalytic activity, breaking the interaction of Na⁺ ions and dispersed vanadia and removing Na from the catalyst surface. Consequently, catalyst acidity and redox capacity almost recover. Furthermore, sulfate residues react with surface adsorbed water to generate Brønsted acid sites, ensuing a surge of strong acidity of the catalysts.

Catalytic oxidation of PCDD/F on a V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst: Effect of chlorinated benzenes and chlorinated phenols

Catalytic oxidation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) is a well-proven technique, applied in a rising number of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration plants, yet the simultaneous and possibly competitive co-oxidation of other compounds, such as chlorinated benzenes (CBz) or phenols (CP), is still poorly documented. In this study, a grinded commercial catalyst (vanadium-tungsten supported on titanium dioxide) was submitted to exploratory testing: the PCDD/F present in a gas test flow were catalytically oxidised (200°C, 10,000h^-1), either as such or in the presence of benzene (Bz), monochlorobenzene (MCBz), and 1,2-dichlorobenzene (DCBz) and the effect of these additions on the catalytic destruction of PCDD/F was verified experimentally. Both removal efficiency (RE) and destruction efficiency (DE) declined during the exploratory testing and, importantly, some DCBz even converted into supplemental PCDD/F. Also, the occurrence of carbon deposition negatively influenced catalytic oxidation activity. Regeneration with oxygen or air allowed to remove the deposited carbon and the original catalytic activity was largely restored after calcination. In a second part of this study, the PCDD/F-formation from DCBz, hexachlorobenzene (HCBz), o-monochlorophenol (o-MCP) and pentachlorophenol (PeCP) was demonstrated and tentatively explored. To prepare for further elucidation of the reaction mechanism, a complete isomer-specific analysis was prepared.

Thermal reaction characteristics of dioxins on cement kiln dust

Cement kiln dust is commonly recycled back into the production process. This results in elevated concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in the flue gases of cement plants. The present study investigated the effects the reaction temperature, oxygen content, and origin of kiln dust had on the thermal reaction characteristics of PCDD/Fs. The concentration of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs that were desorbed from the kiln dust decreased as the reaction temperature was increased and the higher temperature facilitated the degradation of PCDD/Fs. However, the oxygen content, which ranged from 6–21%, had only a minor impact on the thermal reaction characteristics of PCDD/Fs. Finally, the thermal reaction characteristics of PCDD/Fs were largely affected by the origin of the kiln dust; 1.2 pg I-TEQ g⁻¹ was desorbed from kiln dust originating from a cement plant that co-processed refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and 47.5 pg I-TEQ g⁻¹ was desorbed from kiln dust originating from a cement plant that co-processed hazardous waste. The study also found that PCDD/F formation pathways were dependent on the origin of the kiln dust; precursor synthesis dominated PCDD/F formation on the kiln dust collected from a cement plant that co-processed RDF, while de novo synthesis dominated the formation of PCDD/Fs on the remaining samples of kiln dust.

Cement kiln dust is commonly recycled back into the production process.

Emission characteristics of toxic pollutants from an updraft fixed bed gasifier for disposing rural domestic solid waste

Gasification has gained advantage as an effective way to dispose domestic solid waste in mountainous rural of China. However, its toxic emissions such as PCDD/Fs and heavy metals, as well as their potential environmental risks, were not well studied in engineering application. In this study, an updraft fixed bed gasifier was investigated by field sampling analysis. Results showed that low toxic emissions (dust, SO₂, NOx, HCl, CO, H₂S, NH₃, PCDD/Fs and heavy metals) in the flue gas were achieved when the rural solid waste was used as feedstock. The mass distribution of heavy metals showed that 94.00% of Pb, 80.45% of Cu, 78.00% of Cd, 77.31% of Cr, and 76.25% of As were remained in residual, whereas 86.58% of Hg was found in flue gas. The content of PCDD/Fs in the flue gas was 0.103 ngI-TEQ·Nm^-3, and the total emission factor of PCDD/Fs from the gasifier was 50.04 μgI-TEQ·t-waste^-1, among which only 0.04 μgI-TEQ·t-waste^-1 was found in the flue gas. The total output of PCDD/Fs was1.89 times as high as input, indicting the updraft fixed bed gasifier increased emission of PCDD/Fs during the treatment domestic solid waste. In addition, the distribution characteristics of PCDD/Fs congeners reflected that PCDD/Fs was mainly generated in the gasification process rather than the stage of flue gas cleaning, suggesting the importance to effectively control the generation of PCDD/Fs within the gasifier chamber in order to obtain a low PCDD/Fs emission level.

Emission and distribution of PCDD/Fs, chlorobenzenes, chlorophenols, and PAHs from stack gas of a fluidized bed and a stoker waste incinerator in China

The concentrations, homologue, and congener profiles, as well as the gas/particle distribution of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs), chlorobenzenes (CBzs), chlorophenols (CPhs), and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from stack gas of two different municipal solid waste incinerators in China, were characterized. The incinerators were a stoker furnace incinerator equipped with the advanced air pollution control device (APCD) and a common circulating fluidized bed (CFB) furnace. The concentration of PCDD/Fs in the stack gas of the stoker incinerator ranged 0.011-0.109 ng international toxic equivalent factor (I-TEQ)/Nm³ and was below the current limit for PCDD/F emissions from the municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) in China (0.1 ng I-TEQ/Nm³) in most of the cases. Moreover, the concentration of PCDD/Fs in the stack gas of the stoker incinerator was significantly lower than that of the CFB incinerator (0.734 to 24.6 ng I-TEQ/Nm³). In both incinerators, the majority of the total PCDD/F emissions (above 90%) ended up in the gas phase. 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, which occupied 24.3-43.6 and 32.5-75.6% of I-TEQ contribution in MSWIs A and B, respectively, was the most abundant congener. However, different types of incinerators and APCDs induced different congener and homologue distributions. The total concentration of CBzs from the stoker incinerator (0.05-3.2 μg/Nm³) was also much lower than that formed from the CFB incinerator (10.9-75.2 μg/Nm³). The phase distribution of CBzs followed the same pattern as with the PCDD/Fs. Moreover, the emission level of CBz was 100-1000 times higher than that of the PCDD/Fs, which determines the applicability of CBzs as indicators of PCDD/F emissions. High correlations between the emission concentrations of PCDD/Fs, TeCBz, and PCBz in specific ranges were revealed. Furthermore, high concentrations of CPhs (0.6-141.0 μg/Nm³) and PAHs (148.6-4986.5 μg/Nm³) were detected in the stack gases of MSWI B. In some cases, the concentrations were as high as the concentrations in the fumes exiting the boiler of one foreign stoker without flue gas purification indicating the abundance of CPh and PAH emissions in the stack gas of waste incinerators.

Emission characteristics and relationships among PCDD/Fs, chlorobenzenes, chlorophenols and PAHs in the stack gas from two municipal solid waste incinerators in China

An investigation was conducted into polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and furan formation mechanisms and the relationships with chlorobenzenes, chlorophenols and PAHs in the stack gas from two fluidized bed municipal solid waste incinerators.

Composition profiles and health risk of PCDD/F in outdoor air and fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration and adjacent villages in East China

In present study, composition profiles and health risk of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in outdoor air and fly ash from domestic waste treatment center (DWTC) were studied. In addition, the composition profiles and health risk of PCDD/F in outdoor air from adjacent villages were researched and used to quantitatively analyze the difference between onsite workers and adjacent villagers. Moreover, the difference between old intake method and new inhalation dosimetry method in the process of assessing the health risk of PCDD/Fs in outdoor air was quantitatively compared and analyzed. The results of this study were summarized as follows. (1) The 95th percentile carcinogenic risk (CR) and non-carcinogenic risk (non-CR) for onsite workers and adjacent villagers were much lower than the threshold values of 10(-6) and 1.0, respectively, suggesting no potential health risk. (2) The 95th percentile CR for onsite workers was 1.27×10(-8) and was 64.8 times higher than that of adjacent villagers (1.99×10(-10)). (3) The 95th percentile non-CR for onsite workers and adjacent villagers were 1.37×10(-4) and 1.31×10(-7), respectively. (3) Accidental ingestion of fly ash was the largest contributor to CR and non-CR for onsite workers, contributing 62.98% and 64.04% to CR and non-CR, respectively. (4) The CR and non-CR of PCDD/Fs in outdoor air for onsite workers and adjacent villagers which calculated by old intake method was much higher than the results from new inhalation dosimetry method. The results quantitatively showed the levels and potential risks of PCDD/Fs posed by a DWTC site, which can be helpful to predict the influence from DWTC sites and promote the management of DWTC in China.

Recycling ash into the first stage of cyclone pre-heater of cement kiln

Fly ash collected from the bag filter could be recycled into the first stage of the cyclone pre-heater of the cement kiln, resulting in the possible enrichment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). In this study, soxhlet fly ash (SFA) and raw meal (RM) were selected as the basis for the PCDD/F formation experiments. The levels of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs formed on the SFA and RM were observed to be 2550pg/g (157pg I-TEQ/g) and 1142pg/g (55pg I-TEQ/g), respectively. While less 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs was detected when SFA was mixed with RM, suggesting that recycling cement kiln ash would not largely increase the concentration of PCDD/Fs in flue gas. Furthermore, the possible influencing factors on the PCDD/F formation were also investigated. The formation of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs was up to 10,871pg/g (380pg I-TEQ/g) with the adding of CuCl2, which was much higher than the results of CuO and activated carbon. Most importantly, the homologue, congener and gas/particle distribution of PCDD/Fs indicated that de novo synthesis was the dominant PCDD/F formation pathway for SFA. Lastly, principal component analysis (PCA) was also conducted to identify the relationship between the compositions of reactant and the properties of PCDD/Fs produced.

Low temperature destruction of PCDD/Fs over V2O5-CeO2/TiO2 catalyst with ozone

Catalytic destruction of PCDD/Fs (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans) over V2O5-CeO2/TiO2 catalyst was investigated at a low temperature range of 140-180 °C, in the absence and presence of ozone (200 ppm). Nano-TiO2 support was used to prepare the catalyst by step impregnation method. A stable PCDD/Fs-generating system was established to support the catalytic destruction tests. In the presence of ozone alone, destruction efficiencies of PCDD/Fs are between 32.2 and 43.1 % with temperature increasing from 140 to 180 °C. The activity of V2O5-CeO2/TiO2 catalyst alone on PCDD/Fs destruction is also studied. The increase of temperature from 140 to 180 °C enhances the activity of catalyst with destruction efficiencies increasing from 54.7 to 73.4 %. However, ozone addition greatly enhances the catalytic activity of V2O5-CeO2/TiO2 catalyst on PCDD/Fs decomposition. At 180 °C, the destruction efficiency of PCDD/Fs achieved with V2O5-CeO2/TiO2 catalyst and ozone is above 86.0 %. It indicates that the combined use of ozone and catalyst reduces the reaction temperature of PCDD/Fs oxidation and offers a new method to destroy PCDD/Fs with high destruction efficiency at a low temperature. Furthermore, the destruction efficiencies of 17 toxic PCDD/F congeners, achieved with ozone alone, catalyst alone, and catalyst/ozone are analyzed.

Suppression of dioxins by S-N inhibitors in pilot-scale experiments

S-N inhibitors like thiourea and sewage sludge decomposition gases (SDG) are relatively novel dioxins suppressants and their efficiencies are proven in numerous lab-scale experiments. In this study, the suppression effects of both thiourea and SDG on the formation of dioxins are systematically tested in a pilot-scale system, situated at the bypass of a hazardous waste incinerator (HWI). Moreover, a flue gas recirculation system is used to get high dioxin suppression efficiencies. Operating experience shows that this system is capable of stable operation and to keep gaseous suppressant compounds at a high and desirable molar ratio (S + N)/Cl level in the flue gas. The suppression efficiencies of dioxins are investigated in flue gas both without and with addition of S-N inhibitors. A dioxin reduction of more than 80 % is already achieved when the (S + N)/Cl molar ratio is increased to ca. 2.20. When this (S + N)/Cl molar ratio has augmented to 4.18 by applying suppressant recirculation, the residual PCDD/Fs concentration in the flue gas shrank from 1.22 to 0.08 ng I-TEQ/Nm(3). Furthermore, the congener distribution of dioxins is analysed to find some possible explanation or suppression mechanism. In addition, a correlation analysis between (S + N)/Cl molar ratios and PCDD/Fs is also conducted to investigate the chief functional compounds for dioxin suppression.

Catalytic destruction of PCDD/Fs over vanadium oxide-based catalysts

Vanadium oxide-based catalysts were developed for the destruction of vapour phase PCDD/Fs (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans). A vapour phase PCDD/Fs generating system was designed to supply stable PCDD/Fs steam with initial concentration of 3.2 ng I-TEQ Nm(-3). Two kinds of titania (nano-TiO2 and conventional TiO2) and alumina were used as catalyst supports. For vanadium-based catalysts supported on nano-TiO2, catalyst activity is enhanced with operating temperature increasing from 160 to 300 °C and then reduces with temperature rising further to 350 °C. It is mainly due to the fact that high volatility of organic compounds at 350 °C suppresses adsorption of PCDD/Fs on catalysts surface and then further inhibits the reaction between catalyst and PCDD/Fs. The optimum loading of vanadium on nano-TiO2 support is 5 wt.% where vanadium oxide presents highly dispersed amorphous state according to the Raman spectra and XRD patterns. Excessive vanadium will block the pore space and form microcrystalline V2O5 on the support surface. At the vanadium loading of 5 wt.%, nano-TiO2-supported catalyst performs best on PCDD/Fs destruction compared to Al2O3 and conventional TiO2. Chemical states of vanadium in the fresh, used and reoxidized VOx(5 %)/TiO2 catalysts at different operating temperature are also analysed by XPS.

Development of new transition metal oxide catalysts for the destruction of PCDD/Fs

Various transition metal oxide and vanadium-containing multi-metallic oxide catalysts were developed for the destruction of PCDD/Fs (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans). A stable PCDD/Fs generating system was installed to support the catalytic destruction tests in this study. Nano-titania supported vanadium catalyst (VOx/TiO2) showed the highest activity, followed by CeOx, MnOx, WOx and finally MoOx. Multi-metallic oxide catalysts, prepared by doping WOx, MoOx, MnOx and CeOx into VOx/TiO2 catalysts, showed different activities on the decomposition of PCDD/Fs. The highest destruction efficiency of 92.5% was observed from the destruction test over VOxCeOx/TiO2 catalyst. However, the addition of WOx and MoOx even played a negative role in multi-metallic VOx/TiO2 catalysts. Characterizations of transition metal oxides and multi-metallic VOx/TiO2 catalysts were also investigated with XRD and TPR. After the catalysts were used, the conversion from high valent metals to low valence states was observed by XPS.

Suppression of dioxins after the post-combustion zone of MSWIs

Thiourea was selected as representative of combined S- and N-inhibitors and injected after the post-combustion zone of two full-scale municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) using a dedicated feeder. Firstly, the operating conditions were scrutinised by monitoring the concentrations of SO2, NH3 and HCl in the clean flue gas. The suppression experiment showed that in MSWI A thiourea could reduce the total I-TEQ value in flue gas by 73.4% from 1.41ng I-TEQ/Nm(3) to 0.37I-TEQ/Nm(3), those in fly ash by 87.1% from 14.3ng I-TEQ/g to 1.84I-TEQ/g and the total dioxins emission factor by 87.0wt.%, with a (S+N)/Cl molar ratio of 9.4. The suppression efficiencies of PCDD/Fs in flue gas and fly ash in MSWI B could be up to 69.2% and 83.0% when the (S+N)/Cl molar ratio attained 7.51. Furthermore, the congener distributions of dioxins were also analysed in the flue gas and fly ash, before and after addition of thiourea, to find cues to some suppression mechanism. In addition, the filtered fly ash was explored by the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) analysis of fly ash. These results suggest that poisoning the metal catalyst and blocking the chlorination are most probably responsible for suppression.

Emission and distribution of PCDD/Fs and CBzs from two co-processing RDF cement plants in China

An analysis of the emission and distribution characteristics of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and chlorobenzenes (CBzs) from two cement kilns (CK1 and CK2) is done. Six measurements in CK1 showed an increase of PCDD/F emission from 76 to 97 pg I-TEQ/Nm(3) after feeding 10 ton/h RDF (refuse derived fuel). For CK2, the effect of increasing the RDF substitution rates from 0 to 21 t/h on the emission of PCDD/Fs was investigated. The correlation analysis indicated that replacing parts of the conventional fuel with RDF could not increase the emission of PCDD/Fs. Furthermore, the gas/particle partitions of PCDD/Fs and CBzs in stack gas were investigated, indicating that PCDD/Fs and CBzs were more associated in gas phase, especially for the lower chlorinated ones. Moreover, the bag filter fly ash was characterized by its particle distribution, XRD- and EDS-analysis. Additionally, the level of PCDD/Fs in outflowing fly ash escalates for smaller particle size. In order to evaluate the environmental effect on inhabitants, the levels of PCDD/Fs were also determined in samples of ambient air collected in the vicinity of CK2 (~200 m).

The influence of electrodialytic remediation on dioxin (PCDD/PCDF) levels in fly ash and air pollution control residues

Fly ash and Air Pollution Control (APC) residues collected from three municipal solid waste incinerators in Denmark and Greenland were treated by electrodialytic remediation at pilot scale for 8-10 h. This work presents for the first time the effect of electrodialytic treatment on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF), and how these levels impact on the valorization options for fly ash and APC residue. PCDD/PCDF levels in the original residues ranged between 4.85 and 197 ng g(-1), being higher for the electrostatic precipitator fly ash. The toxic equivalent (TEQ) varied ten fold, ranging 0.18-2.0 ng g(-1) I-TEQ, with penta and hexa-homologs being most significant for toxicity. After the electrodialytic treatment PCDD/PCDF levels increased in the residues (between 1.4 and 2.0 times). This does not mean PCDD/PCDF were synthesized, but else that soluble materials dissolve, leaving behind the non-water soluble compounds, such as PCDD/PCDF. According to the Basel Convention, PCDD/PCDF levels in these materials is low (<15 μg WHO-TEQ kg(-1)) and the fly ash and APC residue could eventually be valorized, for instance as construction material, provided end-of-waste criteria are set and that a risk assessment of individual options is carried out, including the end-of-life stage when the materials become waste again.

High temperature suppression of dioxins

Combined Sulphur-Nitrogen inhibitors, such as sewage sludge decomposition gases (SDG), thiourea and amidosulphonic acid have been observed to suppress the de novo synthesis of dioxins effectively. In this study, the inhibition of PCDD/Fs formation from model fly ash was investigated at unusually high temperatures (650 °C and 850 °C), well above the usual range of de novo tests (250-400 °C). At 650 °C it was found that SDG evolving from dried sewage sludge could suppress the formation of 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs with high efficiency (90%), both in weight units and in I-TEQ units. Additionally, at 850 °C, three kinds of sulphur-amine or sulphur-ammonium compounds were tested to inhibit dioxins formation during laboratory-scale tests, simulating municipal solid waste incineration. The suppression efficiencies of PCDD/Fs formed through homogeneous gas phase reactions were all above 85% when 3 wt. % of thiourea (98.7%), aminosulphonic acid (96.0%) or ammonium thiosulphate (87.3%) was added. Differences in the ratio of PCDFs/PCDDs, in weight average chlorination level and in the congener distribution of the 17 toxic PCDD/Fs indicated that the three inhibitors tested followed distinct suppression pathways, possibly in relation to their different functional groups of nitrogen. Furthermore, thiourea reduced the (weight) average chlorinated level. In addition, the thermal decomposition of TUA was studied by means of thermogravimetry-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) and the presence of SO2, SO3, NH3 and nitriles (N≡C bonds) was shown in the decomposition gases; these gaseous inhibitors might be the primary dioxins suppressants.

Low temperature destruction of PCDD/Fs by catalysis coupled with activated carbon

In order to enhance the oxidation and adsorption capacity of catalyst, two kinds of activated carbon (AC) are mechanically mixed with V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst respectively. In this study, the mixtures (M-1: catalyst mixing with AC based on lignite; M-2: the one on coconut shell) are investigated to destroy high concentration (9.8 ng I-TEQ Nm(-3)) PCDD/Fs at low temperature (160 °C). Adding AC into the catalyst obviously increases removal efficiency (RE) and destruction efficiency (DE). However, M-2 presents higher RE value and lower DE value compared with M-1 at the same conditions as the stronger adsorption capacity of AC based on coconut shell. For the M-2 mixture, RE values are decreasing while DE values show an opposite trend with the ratios of catalyst to AC increasing. Oxygen plays a positive role on the destruction of PCDD/Fs by accelerating the conversion of V(4+)Ox and V(5+)Ox. Adjusting oxygen content from 0 to 20 % could increase the DE value from 27.4 to 82.2 % for the M-1 and from 15.8 to 68.9 % for the M-2. In the presence of ozone, a dark brown flock will be generated when the ratio of AC and catalyst is 4:1 due to the reaction between AC and ozone, which results in the lower RE and DE values. The RE and DE values reach the maximum of 96.3 %, 90.6 % in this paper, respectively, when the ratio of AC and catalyst is 1:1 with ozone. Finally, the regenerating of mixture is investigated. Most of dioxin residues in the mixture are desorbed and oxidized by catalysis at 200 °C in the presence of oxygen.

Composition profiles, monthly changes and health risk of PCDD/F in fly ash discharged from a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in Northeast China

Monthly changes and health risk of PCDD/Fs in fly ash which was one of hazardous wastes from municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) were studied.

Comparison of PCDD/F levels and profiles in fly ash samples from multiple industrial thermal sources

A comprehensive comparison of the levels and profiles of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) in fly ash samples from multiple industrial sources may help to prioritize sources and to understand discrepancies in profiles. In this study, PCDD/F data from 113 fly ash samples from 14 sources reported in previous studies were summarized and compared. The highest PCDD/F levels occurred in samples from secondary copper smelting (SCu). Although PCDD/F levels from secondary zinc smelting (SZn) were slightly lower than those of SCu, the PCDD/F profiles varied widely between the two sources. For SCu, more chlorinated homologs were dominant, with highest degrees of chlorination being 6.6 for PCDF and 7.2 for PCDD. For SZn, less chlorinated homologs were dominant, with lowest degrees of chlorination being 4.4 for PCDF and 4.8 for PCDD. We speculate that copper and zinc might promote PCDD/F formation by catalyzing different pathways of thermal reactions. Diagnostic ratios of specific PCDD/F congeners for different sources were suggested to identify potential sources of PCDD/Fs in the environment. Equations describing correlations between congeners and PCDD/F toxic equivalents were established, which may be useful for rapid and inexpensive screening of the toxic levels of PCDD/Fs in fly ash samples.

Dioxins from medical waste incineration: Normal operation and transient conditions

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are key pollutants in waste incineration. At present, incinerator managers and official supervisors focus only on emissions evolving during steady-state operation. Yet, these emissions may considerably be raised during periods of poor combustion, plant shutdown, and especially when starting-up from cold. Until now there were no data on transient emissions from medical (or hospital) waste incineration (MWI). However, MWI is reputed to engender higher emissions than those from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI). The emission levels in this study recorded for shutdown and start-up, however, were significantly higher: 483 ± 184 ng Nm(-3) (1.47 ± 0.17 ng I-TEQ Nm(-3)) for shutdown and 735 ng Nm(-3) (7.73 ng I-TEQ Nm(-3)) for start-up conditions, respectively. Thus, the average (I-TEQ) concentration during shutdown is 2.6 (3.8) times higher than the average concentration during normal operation, and the average (I-TEQ) concentration during start-up is 4.0 (almost 20) times higher. So monitoring should cover the entire incineration cycle, including start-up, operation and shutdown, rather than optimised operation only. This suggestion is important for medical waste incinerators, as these facilities frequently start up and shut down, because of their small size, or of lacking waste supply. Forthcoming operation should shift towards much longer operating cycles, i.e., a single weekly start-up and shutdown.

PCDD/Fs' suppression by sulfur-amine/ammonium compounds

Three distinct -S and -NH2 or NH4(+) containing compounds, including ammonium thiosulfate, aminosulfonic acid and thiourea, were studied as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) inhibitors. All these three -S and -N containing compounds tested show strong suppression of PCDD/Fs formation, especially for thiourea which has not been studied before. With a (S+N)/Cl molar ratio of only 0.47, thiourea could inhibit 97.3% of PCDD/Fs and even 99.8% of I-TEQ. At an unusually high de novo test temperature (650 °C), the PCDD/Fs' formation was still very low but also the inhibition capacity of thiourea was weak, with an efficiency of 59% for PCDD/Fs when with a (S+N)/Cl molar ratio of 1.40. The results also revealed that the inhibition capability of the combined -S/-NH2 or -S/NH4(+) suppressant was strongly influenced by both the nature of the functional group of nitrogen and the value of the molar ratio (S+N)/Cl. The amine functional group -NH2 tends to be more efficient than ammonium NH4(+) and within a certain range a higher (S+N)/Cl value leads to a higher inhibition efficiency. Moreover, the emission of gases was continuously monitored: the Gasmet results revealed that SO2, HCN and NH3 were the most important decomposition products of thiourea. Thiourea is non-toxic, environment-friendly and can be sprayed into the post-combustion zone in form of powder or aqueous solution. The cost of thiourea at least can be partially compensated by its high inhibition efficiency. Therefore, the application of thiourea in a full-scale incinerator system is promising and encouraging.

Distribution of PCDD/Fs in the fly ash and atmospheric air of two typical hazardous waste incinerators in eastern China

Distribution of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) in the fly ash and atmospheric air of one medical waste incinerator (MWI) and one industrial hazardous waste incinerator (IHWI) plants were characterized. The PCDD/F concentrations of the stack gas (fly ash) produced from MWI and IHWI were 17.7 and 0.7 ng international toxic equivalent (I-TEQ)/Nm(3) (4.1 and 2.5 ng I-TEQ/g), respectively. For workplace air, the total concentrations of PCDD/Fs were 11.32 and 0.28 pg I-TEQ/Nm(3) (819.5 and 15.3 pg/Nm(3)). We assumed that the large differences of PCDD/F concentrations in workplace air were due to the differences in chlorine content of the waste, combustion conditions, and other contamination sources. With respect to the homologue profiles, the concentrations of PCDFs decreased with the increase of the substituted chlorine number for each site. Among all of the PCDD/F congeners, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF was the most important contributor to the I-TEQ value accounting for ca. 43 % of two sites. The gas/particle partition of PCDD/Fs in the atmosphere of the workplace in the MWI was also investigated, indicating that PCDD/Fs were more associated in the particle phase, especially for the higher chlorinated ones. Moreover, the ratio of the I-TEQ values in particle and gas phase of workplace air was 11.0. At last, the relationship between the distribution of PCDD/Fs in the workplace air and that from stack gas and fly ash was also analyzed and discussed. The high correlation coefficient might be a sign for diffuse gas emissions at transient periods of fumes escaping from the incinerator.

Characterization of fly ash from a circulating fluidized bed incinerator of municipal solid waste

Treatment and disposal of fly ash in China are becoming increasingly difficult, since its production has steadily risen and its features are uncertain. The excess pollutant components of fly ash are the key factor affecting its treatment and resource utilization. In this study, fly ash samples collected from a power plant with circulating fluidized incinerators of municipal solid waste (MSW) located in Shandong Province (eastern China) were studied. The results showed that there were no obvious seasonal differences in properties of fly ash. The content of total salt, Zn, and pH exceeded the national standards and low-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (Fs) were the main organic components of fly ash for this power plant, which posed great threats to the surrounding environment. The amount of Zn of fly ash was higher than other heavy metals, which should be due to alkaline batteries of MSW. The leachate of fly ash had low concentrations of heavy metals and the main soluble components were sulfates and chlorides. The major mineral crystals of fly ash were SiO2, CaSO4, and Fe2O3. The main organic pollutants were low-ring PAHs, polychlorinated PCDDs, and low-chlorinated PCDFs, and concentrations were lower than the limiting values of the national regulations. Additionally, the distribution of PCDD/Fs had either a positive or a negative linear correlation with fly ash and flue gas, which was associated with the chlorinated degree of PCDD/Fs. The analysis was conducted to fully understand the properties of fly ash and to take appropriate methods for further comprehensive utilization.

Characteristic and potential sources of polychlorinated dibenzo-P-dioxins and dibenzofurans in agricultural soils in Beijing, China

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were analyzed in 25 background and 80 agricultural soil samples collected from 21 sites in Beijing, China. The levels of PCDD/Fs in the north agricultural soils were low (0.15-0.58 ng international toxic equivalent quantity [I-TEQ]/kg), which were comparable with those of the background soils (0.091-0.35 ng I-TEQ/kg). In the southern agricultural soils, however, concentrations were several times higher (0.27-3.3 ng I-TEQ/kg). Comparison of PCDD/Fs congener compositions between possible sources and samples indicated that agricultural soils in Beijing had not been contaminated by the 3 main PCDD/F contamination sources in China--ferrous and nonferrous metal, waste incineration, and power generation. They had, however, been slightly contaminated by the impurities of some organochlorine pesticides, such as sodium pentachlorophenate, and by open burning of biomass, vehicle exhaust, atmospheric deposition, sediment, and sewage sludge. These results have been supported by the principal components analysis.

Concentrations, profiles, and emission factors of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants in fly ash from coking processes

The coking process has been found to be an important source of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (UP-POPs). However, the concentrations, profiles, and emission factors of UP-POPs in fly ash from coke plants have not been studied. In this study, six UP-POPs (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), hexachlorobenzene (HxCBz), and pentachlorobenzene (PeCBz)) were identified and quantified in fly ash from eight coke plants. The average concentrations of the PCDDs, PCDFs, and "dioxin-like" PCBs were 1.5, 2.26, and 0.26 pg TEQ g(-1), respectively, and the average concentrations of the PCNs, HxCBz, and PeCBz were 256, 290, and 146 pg g(-1), respectively. The proportion each homolog contributed to the total concentration of the PCDFs, PCBs, and PCNs decreased with increasing chlorination level. The PCDFs contributed the biggest proportion of the total UP-POPs toxic equivalents (TEQs), and the average emission factors in fly ash were 10.5, 17.3, and 1.82 ng TEQt(-1) for the PCDDs, PCDFs, and "dioxin-like" PCBs, respectively, and 1,792, 2,028, and 1,025 ngt(-1) for the PCNs, HxCBz, and PeCBz, respectively. These data are essential for establishing an integrated UP-POP release inventory.

Characteristics of dioxins content in fly ash from municipal solid waste incinerators in China

MSWI fly ashes sampled from 15 large-scale commercial municipal solid waste incineration plants in China were analyzed for seventeen polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDFs) as well as twelve dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs). The concentration of PCDD/PCDFs and dl-PCBs in fly ash samples ranged from 2.8 to 190ngg(-1), and 59.6ngg(-1) on average. The toxic equivalent (TEQ) ranged from 34 to 2500ng WHO(2005)-PCDD/PCDF-PCB-TEQkg(-1), and 790ng WHO(2005)-PCDD/PCDF-PCB-TEQkg(-1) on average. For PCDDs, hexa-chlorinated homolog was the dominant compound except two fly ash samples. Tetra-chlorinated homolog was dominant for PCDFs except one sample. The ratio of PCDDs/PCDFs ranged from 0.32 to 2.44 (average 0.97). The contribution of dl-PCBs to total concentration and TEQ was relatively minimal. Correlation between the concentration of three congeners and total TEQ values of fly ashes was also established. The findings obtained in this work provided overview information on the PCDD/PCDF-PCB content characterization of MSWI fly ash in China, which can be available for MSWI fly ash management in the environment.

Detoxifying PCDD/Fs and heavy metals in fly ash from medical waste incinerators with a DC double are plasma torch

Medical waste incinerator (MWI) fly ash is regarded as a highly toxic waste because it contains high concentrations of heavy metals and dioxins, including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Therefore fly ash from MWI must be appropriately treated before being discharged into the environment. A melting process based on a direct current thermal plasma torch has been developed to convert MWI fly ash into harmless slag. The leaching characteristics of heavy metals in fly ash and vitrified slag were investigated using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, while the content of PCDD/Fs in the fly ashes and slags was measured using method 1613 of the US EPA. The experimental results show that the decomposition rate of PCDD/Fs is over 99% in toxic equivalent quantity value and the leaching of heavy metals in the slag significantly decreases after the plasma melting process. The produced slag has a compact and homogeneous microstructure with density of up to 2.8 g/cm3.

Subacute inhalation toxicity assessment of fly ash from industrial waste incinerators

Fly ash from industrial waste incinerators has been a significant concern because of their constituent toxic heavy metals and organic compounds. The objective of this study was to identify the subacute inhalation toxicity of fly ash from industrial waste incinerators, using whole body inhalation exposure chambers. Male and female groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to fly ash by inhalation of concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 200 mg/m(3), for 6 h/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks. There was no significant difference in body weight, and relative organ weight to body weight, between the exposure groups and the control group. Hematological examinations revealed a significant increase of monocyte counts in fly ash exposed rats and brown pigment laden macrophage was found in the lungs of rats exposed to high concentration of fly ash. A decrease of blood glucose levels and an increase in glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase activity were observed in fly ash treated rats. There was also a significant increase of lactate dehydrogenase levels in rat blood exposed fly ash. A significant dose-dependent increase of DNA damage was found in lymphocytes, spleen, bronchoalveolar lavage, liver, lung, and thymus of rats exposed to fly ash. In addition, the level of lipid peroxidation was increased in the plasma of rats exposed to a high concentration of fly ash. These results suggest that inhalation of fly ash from industrial waste incinerators can induce histopathologic, hematological, and serum biochemical changes and oxidative damage.