Influences of temperature, waste size and residence time on the generation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during the fast pyrolysis of medical waste

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Civil Engineering Science and Reasearch Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Mismanagement of Medical wastes can lead to human health and environmental risks. Currently, new pyrolysis technologies are being used to treat medical waste that can reduce the amount of landfilled waste, make it safe, and eventually convert it to a hydrocarbon fuel. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are pyrolysis by-products and major environmental pollutants. In this study, hazardous medical wastes were pyrolyzed using a semi-industrial pilot scale fast pyrolysis reactor with the purpose of improving the quality of the char for its recovery or use as fuel. The generation of total 4-6 rings PAHs was studied in char product from hazardous medical waste fast pyrolysis under different pyrolysis conditions variables including a vast temperature range (300-700°C), different residence times (100-190 s) and various waste particle sizes (1-3 cm). GC analyzer coupled with a FID detector was used to detect and measure the PAH compounds in char residues. The results demonstrated that the PAHs are present in significant concentrations in char product (54-1184 mg kg-1). Generation of total 4-6 rings PAHs varied by temperature, residence time and waste size. Significant interaction was observed between residence time and temperature that influenced the PAHs generation. By optimizing the pyrolysis operating conditions it is possible to minimize the amount of PAHs generation in the char.

Keywords


Arabyarmohammadi, H, Khodadadi Darban, A, Abdollahy, M & Ayati, B 2018, Simultaneous immobilization of heavy metals in soil environment by pulp and paper derived nanoporous biochars. Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering,16: 109-119.
Alavi, N, Eslami, A & Saghi, MH 2018, Measurement and monitoring of anions, cations and metals in landfill leachate in Iranian metropolises. Data in Brief, 21: 1818-1822.
Ali, M, Wang, W, Chaudhry, N & Geng, Y 2017, Hospital waste management in developing countries: a mini review. Waste Management & Research, 35: 581-592.
Buss, W, Graham, MC, Mackinnon, G & Mašek, O 2016, Strategies for producing biochars with minimum PAH contamination. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 119: 24-30.
Cass, GR 1998, Organic molecular tracers for particulate air pollution sources. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 17: 356-366.
Chang, F, Wang, C, Wang, Q, Jia, J & Wang, K 2016, Pilot-scale pyrolysis experiment of municipal sludge and operational effectiveness evaluation. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, 38: 472-477.
Chartier, Y 2014, Safe management of wastes from health-care activities. World Health Organization.
Cunliffe, AM & Williams, PT 1998, Composition of oils derived from the batch pyrolysis of tyres. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 44: 131-152.
Delmonico, DV, Santos, HH, Pinheiro, MA, De Castro, R & De Souza, R.M 2018, Waste management barriers in developing country hospitals: Case study and AHP analysis. Waste Management & Research, 36: 48-58.
Deng, N, Zhang, YF & Wang, Y 2008, Thermogravimetric analysis and kinetic study on pyrolysis of representative medical waste composition. Waste Management, 28: 1572-1580.
Devi, P & Saroha, AK 2015, Effect of pyrolysis temperature on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons toxicity and sorption behaviour of biochars prepared by pyrolysis of paper mill effluent treatment plant sludge. Bioresource Technology, 192: 312-320.
Guedes, RE, Luna, AS & Torres, AR 2018, Operating parameters for bio-oil production in biomass pyrolysis: A review. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 129, 134-149.
Hilber, I, Blum, F, Leifeld, J, Schmidt, HP & Bucheli, TD 2012, Quantitative determination of PAHs in biochar: a prerequisite to ensure its quality and safe application. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60: 3042-3050.
Horii, Y, Ok, Ohura, T & Kannan, K 2008, Occurrence and profiles of chlorinated and brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in waste incinerators. Environmental Science & Technology, 42: 1904-1909.
Initiative, IB 2012, Standardized product definition and product testing guidelines for biochar that is used in soil. IBI Biochar Standards.
Keiluweit, M, Kleber, M, Sparrow, MA, Simoneit, BR & Prahl, FG 2012, Solvent-extractable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in biochar: influence of pyrolysis temperature and feedstock. Environmental Science & Technology, 46: 9333-9341.
Kim, KH, Jahan, SA, Kabir, E & Brown, RJ 2013, A review of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their human health effects. Environment International, 60: 71-80.
Kwon, EE, Oh, JI & Kim, KH 2015, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) mitigation in the pyrolysis process of waste tires using CO2 as a reaction medium. Journal of Environmental Management, 160: 306-311.
Lundstedt, S, White, PA, Lemieux, CL, Lynes, KD, Lambert, IB, Öberg, L, Haglund, P & Tysklind, M 2007, Sources, fate, and toxic hazards of oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at PAH-contaminated sites. AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment, 36: 475-485.
Martínez, JD, Veses, A, Mastral, AM, Murillo, R, Navarro, MV, Puy, N, Artigues, A, Bartrolí, J & García, T 2014, Co-pyrolysis of biomass with waste tyres: upgrading of liquid bio-fuel. Fuel Processing Technology, 119: 263-271.
Mcgrath, TE, Chan, WG & Hajaligol, MR 2003, Low temperature mechanism for the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from the pyrolysis of cellulose. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 66: 51-70.
Mmereki, D, Baldwin, ALiB & Liu, M 2017, Healthcare waste management in Botswana: storage, collection, treatment and disposal system. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 19: 351-365.
Nakajima, D, Nagame, S, Kuramochi, H, Sugita, K, Kageyama, S, Shiozaki, T, Takemura, T, Shiraishi, F & Goto, S 2007, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon generation behavior in the process of carbonization of wood. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 79: 221-225.
Pacyna, EG, Pacyna, JM, Steenhuisen, F & Wilson, S 2006, Global anthropogenic mercury emission inventory for 2000. Atmospheric Environment, 40: 4048-4063.
Ravindra, K, Sokhi, R & Van Grieken, R 2008, Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: source attribut,on, emission factors and regulation. Atmospheric Environment, 42: 2895-2921.
Sánchez, N, Callejas, A, Millera, A, Bilbao, R & Alzueta, M 2012a, Formation of PAH and soot during acetylene pyrolysis at different gas residence times and reaction temperatures. Energy, 43: 30-36.
Sánchez, NE, Callejas, A, Millera, A, Bilbao, R & Alzueta, MU 2012b, Formation of PAH and soot during acetylene pyrolysis at different gas residence times and reaction temperatures. Energy, 43: 30-36.
Schimmelpfennig, S & Glaser, B 2012, One step forward toward characterization: some important material properties to distinguish biochars. Journal of Environmental Quality, 41: 1001-1013.
Shi, W, Guo, Y, Ning, G, Li, C, Li, Y, Ren, Y, Zhao, O & Yang, Z 2018, Remediation of Soil Polluted with HMW-PAHs by Alfalfa or Brome in Combination with Fungi and Starch. Journal of Hazardous Materials.
Stanković, A, Nikić, D & Nikolić, M 2008, Report: Treatment of medical waste in Nišava and Toplica districts, Serbia. Waste Management & Research, 26: 309-313.
Stark, AK & Ghoniem, AF 2017, Quantification of the influence of particle diameter on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) formation in fluidized bed biomass pyrolysis. Fuel, 206: 276-288.
Tripathi, M, Sahu, JN & Ganesan, P 2016, Effect of process parameters on production of biochar from biomass waste through pyrolysis: a review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 55: 467-481.
Verma, R 2014, Medical Waste Disposal: Incineration and Non Incineration Technology Their Effects and Prospects. Natural Environment 19: 195-198.
Viteri, F, Salinas, J, Millera, Á, Bilbao, R & Alzueta, M 2016, Pyrolysis of dimethyl carbonate: PAH formation. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 122: 524-530.
Wang, C, Wang, Y & Herath, HM 2017, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in biochar – Their formation, occurrence and analysis: A review. Organic Geochemistry, 114: 1-11.
Windfeld, ES & Brooks, M 2015, Medical waste management–A review. Journal of Environmental Management, 163, 98-108.
Zhou, H, Wu, C, Onwudili, JA, Meng, A, Zhang, Y & Williams, PT 2015, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) formation from the pyrolysis of different municipal solid waste fractions. Waste Management, 36: 136-146.
Zhurinsh, A, Zandersons, J & Dobele, G 2005, Slow pyrolysis studies for utilization of impregnated waste timber materials. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 74: 439-444.
Zielińska, A & Oleszczuk, P 2016, Attenuation of phenanthrene and pyrene adsorption by sewage sludge-derived biochar in biochar-amended soils. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23: 21822-21832.