Destruction and formation of dioxin-like PCBs in dedicated full scale waste incinerators

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 94; pp. 42 - 47
• Main Authors: Van Caneghem, Jo, Block, Chantal, Vandecasteele, Carlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Coal Ash; De novo synthesis; Dioxins - analysis; Dioxins - chemistry; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental Pollutants - chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General treatment and storage processes; Hazardous Waste - analysis; Incineration; Incineration - methods; PCB; PCDD/F; Pollution; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - chemistry; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins - analysis; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins - chemistry; Waste; Wastes; De novo synthesis; PCDD/F; Incineration; Waste; PCB; Heat treatment; Dioxin derivatives; Waste treatment; Pollutant formation; Polychlorobiphenyls; De novo; Persistent organic pollutant; Incineration plant; Chlorine Organic compounds; Chlorocarbon; Aromatic compound; Chemical synthesis
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.09.008

•Inputs and outputs in three types of full scale waste incinerator are analysed.•PCB oils are the main dioxin-like PCB contamination source of the input waste.•Dioxin-like PCBs in the input waste are destroyed; others are newly formed in the boiler.•De novo synthesis is the main formation mechanism in all incinerator types.•The PCB concentration in the input waste does not influence the formation mechanism. Destruction and formation of dioxin-like PCBs in full scale waste incinerators is studied by analysing input waste streams and boiler and fly ash of a grate furnace incinerator (GFI) incinerating MSW, of a Fluidised Bed Combustor (FBC) incinerating a mix of 50% sludge, 25% refuse derived fuel (RDF) and 25% automotive shredder residue (ASR) and of a rotary kiln incinerator (RKI) incinerating hazardous waste. The dioxin-like PCB fingerprints of the waste inputs show that PCB oils Aroclor 1242 and Aroclor 1254 late are the major dioxin-like PCB contamination source of sludge, RDF and ASR. The dioxin-like PCB fingerprints of the waste inputs are clearly different from the fingerprints of the outputs, i.e. boiler and fly ash, indicating that in full scale waste incinerators dioxin-like PCBs in the input waste are destroyed and other dioxin-like PCBs are newly formed in the post combustion zone. The dioxin-like PCB fingerprint of boiler and fly ash of all three incinerators corresponds well to the fly ash fingerprint obtained in lab scale de novo synthesis experiments, indicating that dioxin-like PCBs are mainly formed through this mechanism. The high PCB concentration in the input waste mix of the RKI does not promote the formation of dioxin-like PCBs through precursor condensation.