Adsorption on Carbon and Zeolite of Pollutants from Flue Gas during Incineration

The volatile organic compound, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, dioxin, and metallic components released from incineration threaten human health. These pollutants, appearing in a molecular state, cannot be effectively removed by baghouse and electrostatic precipitators through capture and filtration mechanisms. Previous studies indicate that activated carbon is conventionally used to remove organic compounds from gas at low temperatures (less than 30°C). However, the adsorption characteristics of organic compounds from a gas phase at high temperatures (over 120°C) are seldom mentioned. Moreover, the complex compositions of flue gas cause the adsorption characteristics of organic compounds and heavy metals on adsorbent tubes to be more complicated. This research examines the adsorption characteristics of organic compounds and heavy metals at various incineration conditions. The evaluated parameters include: (1) the operating temperatures; (2) the characteristics of adsorbents (activated carbon and zeolite); and (3) waste compositions and the presence of heavy metals. The results indicate that activated carbon has a high adsorption capacity compared with zeolite.