Abstract
A study was made on the decomposition of PCB's in a radio-frequency glow discharge plasma. PCB's were completely decomposed in plasmas of a few Torr of oxygen, hydrogen, and water vapor. Gaseous products from PCB's in an oxygen plasma were carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, hydrogen chloride, chlorine, and chlorine dioxide. Hazardous compounds such as phosgene and vinyl chloride were not detected by gc–ms analysis. The total quantity of oxygen flowed past the sample was only about three times the stoichiometric oxygen required for the perfect oxidation of PCB's. In a hydrogen plasma, PCB's gave ethane and isobutane as major gaseous products and several higher hydrocarbons as minor products. Almost all of the chlorine in PCB's was converted to hydrogen chloride. Major products from PCB's in a water vapor plasma were carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen chloride. No other products were detected. The mechanisms for reactions occurring in plasmas are discussed. The importance of the wall effect for the formation of solid products is discussed.
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