Laboratory evaluations of the thermal degradation properties of toxic organic materials in sewage sludge

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/10473289.1991.10466882· OSTI ID:5116608

Dellinger, B; Mazer, S L ^[1]; Dobbs, R A ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Dayton Research Inst., OH (United States)
2. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH (United States)

Laboratory thermal decomposition studies were performed to evaluate potential emissions from sewage sludge incinerators. Precisely controlled thermal decomposition experiments were conducted on sludge spiked with mixtures of hazardous organic compounds, on mixtures of pure compounds without sludge, and on unspiked sludge. Experiments were conducted in nitrogen and air atmospheres with gas phase reaction time of 2.0 seconds over the temperature range 300C - 1,000C. It was found that sludge inhibited the decomposition of moderately stable spiked contaminants but accelerated the decomposition of the most stable components. This effect was attributed to radical scavengers produced by the sludge matrix at lower temperatures which then decomposed at higher temperatures. A multiple hearth simulation study suggested that most of the organic material present in the sludge matrix is vaporized within the upper hearths that are held at lower temperatures and may consequently escape from such incinerators undestroyed. A number of stable byproducts resulted from the sludge decomposition that may be of environmental concern.

• OSTI ID: 5116608
• Journal Information: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States) Vol. 41:8; ISSN JAWAE; ISSN 1047-3289
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BY-PRODUCTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
DECOMPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INCINERATORS
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SIMULATION
SLUDGES
THERMAL DEGRADATION
WASTES