Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) formation from the pyrolysis of different municipal solid waste fractions

• Published in: Waste management (Elmsford) 2015-02, Vol.36, p.136-146
• Main Authors: Zhou, Hui, Wu, Chunfei, Onwudili, Jude A., Meng, Aihong, Zhang, Yanguo, Williams, Paul T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ANTHRACENE; BIOMASS; CELLULOSE; CHRYSENE; Environmental Monitoring; EXPERIMENTAL DATA; FLUORENE; Incineration; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; LIGNIN; MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; NAPHTHALENE; PACKED BEDS; PECTINS; PHENANTHRENE; Plastics; Polyallylamine hydrochloride; POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH); Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; POLYESTERS; Polyethylene terephthalates; POLYETHYLENES; POLYSTYRENE; Polystyrene resins; Polyvinyl chlorides; PYROLYSIS; Solid Waste - analysis; Solid waste management; SOLID WASTES; SYNTHESIS; Waste
• ISSN: 0956-053X; 1879-2456
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2014.09.014

[Display omitted] •PAH from pyrolysis of 9 MSW fractions was investigated.•Pyrolysis of plastics released more PAH than that of biomass.•Naphthalene was the most abundant PAH in the tar.•The mechanism of PAH release from biomass and plastics was proposed. The formation of 2–4 ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from the pyrolysis of nine different municipal solid waste fractions (xylan, cellulose, lignin, pectin, starch, polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) were investigated in a fixed bed furnace at 800°C. The mass distribution of pyrolysis was also reported. The results showed that PS generated the most total PAH, followed by PVC, PET, and lignin. More PAH were detected from the pyrolysis of plastics than the pyrolysis of biomass. In the biomass group, lignin generated more PAH than others. Naphthalene was the most abundant PAH, and the amount of 1-methynaphthalene and 2-methynaphthalene was also notable. Phenanthrene and fluorene were the most abundant 3-ring PAH, while benzo[a]anthracene and chrysene were notable in the tar of PS, PVC, and PET. 2-ring PAH dominated all tar samples, and varied from 40wt.% to 70wt.%. For PS, PET and lignin, PAH may be generated directly from the aromatic structure of the feedstock.