Post-combustion formation of PCDD, PCDF, PCBz, and PCPh in a laboratory-scale reactor: Influence of dibenzo-p-dioxin injection

Formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD), dibenzofurans (PCDF), benzenes (PCBz), and phenols (PCPh) was studied during combustion of an artificial municipal solid waste (MSW) in a laboratory-scale fluidized-bed reactor with simultaneous collection of flue gas samples at three different temperatures in the post-combustion zone (450 °C, 300 °C, and 200 °C). PCDF, PCBz, and PCPh were predominantly formed at or above the first sampling point (450 °C) with a dominance of the lower chlorinated homologues. PCDDs, on the other hand, were dominated by the intermediately chlorinated homologues with concentrations peaking at 300 °C. The dominating PCPh congeners clearly displayed the ortho–para directionality, which is indicative of electrophilic aromatic substitution, as did the PCBz isomer distribution patterns to some extent. Comparison of the observed PCBz isomer distribution patterns to prior work may indicate coupling of aliphatic species in chlorobenzene formation. The PCDDs seemed to be largely influenced by chlorophenol condensation reactions and to some extent chlorination reactions, while the PCDFs displayed a chlorination-oriented pattern for the mono- to tri-chlorinated homologues and a PCPh condensation pattern for the higher chlorinated homologues. Injection of non-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin at 650 °C resulted in increased formation of Tri-HxCDD and a decrease in the dibenzofuran levels. The affected PCDD and PCDF congeners were not products expected to form from chlorine substitution, but instead are well known chlorophenol condensation products.