Thermal Catalytic Decomposition of Dioxins and Furans in Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator Flue Gas

Abstract

Dioxins and furans generated during municipal solid waste incineration are highly toxic persistent organic pollutants that pose serious environmental and public health risks due to their bioaccumulative nature and long-term atmospheric persistence. Effective destruction of these compounds in flue gas streams is therefore essential for sustainable waste incineration and regulatory compliance. The present study investigates the thermal catalytic decomposition of dioxins and furans in municipal solid waste incinerator flue gas under controlled operating conditions. The research focuses on evaluating decomposition efficiency, catalytic activity, reaction kinetics, and operational stability associated with thermal catalytic treatment systems. Experimental analysis was conducted to examine the influence of reaction temperature, catalyst composition, gas residence time, oxygen concentration, flue gas composition, and space velocity on pollutant destruction performance and catalyst durability. Results demonstrate that thermal catalytic treatment effectively decomposes dioxins and furans through oxidative degradation and catalytic surface reactions, resulting in substantial reduction of toxic organic pollutants in treated flue gas. The study further reveals that optimized reaction temperatures and catalyst formulations significantly enhance decomposition efficiency while minimizing the formation of secondary toxic byproducts. Catalysts possessing high surface area and strong redox activity exhibited improved resistance to poisoning and stable long-term operational performance. Comparative assessment with conventional flue gas treatment technologies confirms the advantages of thermal catalytic decomposition, including higher destruction efficiency, lower residual toxicity, and improved environmental sustainability.