Removal of dioxins from municipal solid waste incineration fly ash by low-temperature thermal treatment: Laboratory simulation of degradation and ash discharge stages

Abstract

Dioxins in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWIFA) can cause significant risks to the environment and human health. In this study, the low-temperature thermal treatment of MSWIFA under industrial conditions was simulated in the laboratory to investigate the process parameters for dioxin degradation and ash discharge stages. Correlation analysis and dioxin fingerprint characterization were used to analyze the degradation and ash discharge processes. The degradation efficiency of low-temperature thermal treatment was influenced by multiple factors. At 400℃ for 90 min and 1% O2, the dioxin removal rate was 95.80%, the detoxification rate was 91.73%, and the residual dioxin toxicity in MSWIFA was 22.7 ± 17.8 ng I-TEQ/kg, which was in line with the limit value of 50 ng I-TEQ/kg in the “Technical specification for pollution control of fly-ash from municipal solid waste incineration” (HJ1134-2020). The increase in dioxins during ash discharge did not follow a linear relationship with the process parameters. This was assumed to be related to the MSWIFA composition, as some components containing P, Si, and Al at 150 °C may inhibit dioxin formation. The dioxin increased only by 0.79 ± 2.65 ng/kg, an increase in toxicity of 0.42 ± 0.10 ng I-TEQ/kg, when treated at 150 °C for 30 min and 10% O2.