Removal of vapour phase PCDD/Fs in electric arc furnace steelmaking emissions by sorption using plastics

Plastics are potentially suitable for the removal of vapour phase PCDD/Fs in emissions from the electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking process. Three different commercial plastics, i.e. polypropylene BE170MO (Borealis A/S, Denmark), polypropylene in the form of 5 mm spheres (The Precision Plastic Ball Co. Ltd., UK) and polyethylene LD605BA (ExxonMobil Chemical, Belgium), have been studied using a novel experimental apparatus for the removal of vapour phase PCDD/Fs. Polypropylene BE170MO was identified to be the most suitable product amongst the three plastics in terms of PCDD/F sorption and potential industrial application. The optimum temperature for PCDD/F sorption on polypropylene BE170MO was below 90 °C for a removal efficiency of >99% at an average vapour phase PCDD/F concentration of 3.5 ng I-TEQ/Nm3. At 130 °C, 53% of the PCDD/Fs trapped on polypropylene BE170MO were desorbed.