Iron and copper catalysis of PCDD/F formation

Liao, Junhong; Buekens, Alfons; Olie, Kees; Yang, Jie; Chen, Tong; Li, Xiaodong

Iron and copper catalysis of PCDD/F formation

2016

The formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) was explored during de novo tests designed to compare the catalytic activity of copper (II) chloride (CuCl₂) with that of iron (III) oxide (Fe₂O₃) and to test some synergistic effect between these two catalytic compounds. Both copper chloride (CuCl₂) and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) were earlier proposed as catalysts to explain the PCDD/F emissions from, e.g. municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI). In addition, haematite (Fe₂O₃) is the main iron ore and could be responsible for the typical iron ore sintering plant fingerprint. A total of nine model fly ash (MFA) samples were prepared by mixing and grinding of sodium chloride (NaCl), activated carbon and a powder matrix of silica (SiO₂) with the selected metal compound(s). The conditions of these de novo tests were 1 h in duration, 350 °C in a flow of synthetic combustion gas (10 vol.% oxygen in nitrogen). The effect of Fe–Cu catalyst concentration on yield and distribution pattern of PCDD/F was systematically explored; three strongly differing ratios of [Fe]:[Cu] were considered (1:1, 10:1 and 100:1) to study the potential interactions of Fe₂O₃ and CuCl₂ suggested earlier. The results show some slight rise of PCDD/F formed with raising iron concentration from 0 to 10.1 wt% (no Cu added; 0.1 wt% Cu), as well as strong surging of both amount and average chlorination level of PCDD/F when rising amounts of copper (0 to 1.1 wt%) are introduced. The resulting fingerprints are compared with those from sintering and from MSWI.

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