Production of Porous Biochar from Cow Dung Using Microwave Process.

To valorize livestock manure, the present study investigated the production of biochar from cow dung (CD) by microwave pyrolysis. The pore properties and chemical characteristics of CD and CD-based biochar products were found to correlate with the process parameters like microwave power (300-1000 W) and residence time (5-20 min). The findings indicated that CD is an excellent biomass based on the richness of lignocellulosic constituents from the results of proximate analysis and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Higher calorific values were obtained at mild microwave conditions, giving the maximal enhancement factor 139% in comparison with the calorific value of CD (18.97 MJ/kg). Also, it can be concluded that the biochar product obtained at 800 W for a holding time of 5 min had the maximal BET surface area of 127 m2/g and total pore volume of 0.104 cm3/g, which were microporous and mesoporous in the nitrogen adsorption-desorption adsorption analysis. On the other hand, the CD-based biochar contained oxygen-containing functional groups and inorganic minerals based on the spectroscopic analyses by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thus featuring to be prone to hydrophilicity in aqueous solutions.

Emission factors and congener-specific characterization of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PBDD/Fs and PBDEs from an off-road diesel engine using waste cooking oil-based biodiesel blends.

Few studies have been performed up to now on the emission factors and congener profiles of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) emitted from off-road diesel engines. This investigation elucidates the emission factors and congener profiles of various POPs, namely polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in the exhausts of a diesel generator fueled with different waste cooking oil-based biodiesel (WCO-based biodiesel) blends. The PCDD/Fs contributed 87.2% of total dioxin-like toxicity (PCDD/Fs+PCBs+PBDD/Fs) in the exhaust, while the PCBs and PBDD/Fs only contributed 8.2% and 4.6%, respectively. Compared with petroleum diesel, B20 (20vol% WCO-based biodiesel+80vol% diesel) reduced total toxicity by 46.5% for PCDD/Fs, 47.1% for PCBs, and 24.5% for PBDD/Fs, while B40 (40vol% WCO-based biodiesel+60vol% diesel) reduced it by 89.5% for PCDD/Fs, 57.1% for PCBs, and 63.2% for PBDD/Fs in POP emission factors. The use of WCO-based biodiesel not only solves the problem of waste oil disposal, but also lowers POP emissions from diesel generators.

Size distributions of PM, carbons and PAHs emitted from a generator using blended fuels containing water.

This investigation studied the size distributions of particulate matter (PM), particulate carbon, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are emitted from a generator that is fueled by diesel that is blended with waste-edible-oil-biodiesel and water-containing acetone. PM samples were collected using a micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) and a Nano-MOUDI (with aerodynamic diameters of 0.01-18 µm). The results reveal that waste-edible biodiesel blended with water-containing acetone (W5WA3 or W20WA3) at a load of 3 kW emitted lower ΣPM, ΣPM-EC, ΣPM-OC, ΣT-PAHs or ΣT-BaPeq concentrations than did D100, in all 13 particle size ranges, and these reductions of emissions of submicron particles exceeded 85%. Furthermore, W20WA3 emitted significantly lower concentrations of Total-PAHs and Total-BaPeq in four nano/ultrafine particle size ranges. Therefore, water-containing acetone biodieselhols can be utilized as alternatives to petroleum diesel as fuel to reduce the dangers to human health that are posed by emissions from diesel engines.

Emission reduction of NOx, PM, PM-carbon, and PAHs from a generator fuelled by biodieselhols.

This investigation examines the particulate matter (PM), particulate carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from a generator fueled by petroleum diesel blended with waste-edible-oil-biodiesel and water-containing acetone. Experimental results show that using biodieselhols with water-containing (or pure) acetone as the fuel of generator, in comparison to using petroleum diesel, significantly reduces PM emission; roughly, this reduction increased as percentage of water-containing acetone increased. When the percentages of waste-edible-oil-biodiesel were ≤ 5 vol%, adding pure or water-containing acetone (1-3 vol%) to biodieselhols generated emission reductions of NOx, PM, particle-bound organic carbon (OC), total-PAHs, and total-BaPeq. Consequently, using water-containing acetone biodieselhols as an alternative generator fuel is feasible and helps recycle and reuse waste solvents containing water-containing acetone.

Emissions from a generator fueled by blends of diesel, biodiesel, acetone, and isopropyl alcohol: analyses of emitted PM, particulate carbon, and PAHs.

Biodiesel is one of alternative energies that have been extensively discussed and studied. This research investigates the characteristics of particulate matter (PM), particulate carbon, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from a generator fueled by waste-edible-oil-biodiesel with acetone and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) addition. The tested biodieselhols consisted of pure diesel oil (D100) with 1-3 vol.% pure acetone (denoted as A), 1-70 vol.% waste-edible-oil-biodiesel (denoted as W), and 1 vol.% pure isopropyl alcohol (the stabilizer, denoted as P). The results show that in comparison to W1D99, W3D97, W5D95, W10D90, and W20D80, the use of biodieselhols achieved additional reduction of PM and particulate organic carbon (OC) emission, and such reduction increased as the addition percentage of pure acetone increased. Regardless of the percentages of added waste-edible-oil-biodiesel, acetone, and isopropyl alcohol, the use of biodieselhol in place of D100 could reduce the emissions of Total-PAHs (by 6.13-42.5% (average = 24.1%)) and Total-BaPeq (by 16.6-74.8% (average = 53.2%)) from the diesel engine generator. Accordingly, the W/D blended fuels (W<20 vol.%) containing acetone (1-3 vol.%) and isopropyl alcohol (1 vol.%) are a potential alternative fuel for diesel engine generators because they substantially reduce emissions of PM, particulate OC, Total-PAHs, and Total-BaPeq.

Characteristics of particulate emissions from a diesel generator fueled with varying blends of biodiesel and fossil diesel.

This study investigated the particulate matter (PM), particle-bound carbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from a diesel-engine generator fuelled with blends of pure fossil diesel oil (D100) and varying percentages of waste-edible-oil biodiesel (W10, 10 vol %; W20, 20 vol %; W30, 30 vol %; and W50, 50 vol %) under generator loads of 0, 1.5, and 3 kW. On average, the PM emission factors of all blends was 30.5 % (range, 13.7-52.3 %) lower than that of D100 under the tested loads. Substituting pure fossil diesel oil with varying percentages of waste-edible-oil biodiesel reduced emissions of particle-bound total carbon (TC) and elemental carbon (EC). The W20 blend had the lowest particle-bound organic carbon (OC) emissions. Notably, W10, W20, and W30 also had lower Total-PAH emissions and lower total equivalent toxicity (Total-BaP(eq)) compared to D100. Additionally, the brake-specific fuel consumption of the generator correlated positively with the ratio of waste-edible-oil biodiesel to pure fossil diesel. However, generator energy efficiency correlated negatively with the ratio of waste-edible-oil biodiesel to pure fossil diesel.

Effect of traffic loading on particle-bound water-soluble ions and carbons collected near a busy road and at an urban site.

This study examines size-resolved particle-bound water-soluble ions and carbons (element carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC)) collected near a busy road and at an urban site. The traffic-related fine and coarse particles were collected using two manual dichotomous samplers (Dichots) equipped with Quartz filters. The PM(2.5)/PM(2.5-10) value during rush hour (3.57) exceeded that during slack time (2.72). During weekdays and weekends, although the roadside PM(2.5) concentration correlated well with traffic flow (R(2)= 0.91 and 0.81, respectively), the roadside PM(2.5-10) concentration did not. The lowest second aerosol concentrations were observed from 19:00 to 21:00 during weekdays and weekends. The average content of total water-soluble ions in PM(2.5) was 30.7% and 35.7% for weekday and weekend samples, respectively (a total average of 33.2%). In PM(2.5), the content of NO(3)(-) (8.95-11.0%) exceeded that of SO(4)(2-) (7.08-8.10%) at the roadside site. Conversely, the content of PM(2.5)-bound SO(4)(2-) was higher than that of PM(2.5)-bound NO(3)(-) at the urban site. The mean content of PM(2.5)-bound TC was 35.8%, while that of PM(2.5-10)-bound TC was 15.9%. Moreover, the R(2) values of traffic flow versus PM(2.5)-bound EC concentration on weekdays and weekends were 0.89 and 0.56, respectively, and were 0.82 and 0.38, respectively, for those of traffic flow versus PM(2.5)-bound OC concentration.

Determination of levels of persistent organic pollutants (PCDD/Fs, PBDD/Fs, PBDEs, PCBs, and PBBs) in atmosphere near a municipal solid waste incinerator.

This work develops a comprehensive approach for quantitatively analyzing polychlorinated and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs/PBDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs/PBDFs), biphenyls (PCBs/PBBs) and diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). This technique, based on multiple (silica, alumina, and active carbon) columns, can be applied to prepare samples for determining the five group compounds based on high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry. The method was also validated by analyses of blank and spiked samples. In the sampled air, the mean PCDD/F, PCB, PBDD/F, PBDE, and PBB concentrations were 59.6 fg WHO-TEQ Nm(-3), 6.74 fg WHO-TEQ Nm(-3), 12.2 fg WHO-TEQ Nm(-3), 52100 fg Nm(-3), and 341 fg Nm(-3), respectively. The WHO-TEQ of dioxin-like PCB and PBDD/Fs counted for 8.9% and 16% of total TEQ (summed over PCDD/Fs, PBDD/Fs, and dioxin-like PCBs), respectively, suggesting that the atmospheric concentrations of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds should be regulated together because of the persistence and toxicity of PBDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs.

PM, carbon, and PAH emissions from a diesel generator fuelled with soy-biodiesel blends.

Biodiesels have received increasing attention as alternative fuels for diesel engines and generators. This study investigates the emissions of particulate matter (PM), total carbon (TC), e.g., organic/elemental carbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from a diesel generator fuelled with soy-biodiesel blends. Among the tested diesel blends (B0, B10 (10 vol% soy-biodiesel), B20, and B50), B20 exhibited the lowest PM emission concentration despite the loads (except the 5 kW case), whereas B10 displayed lower PM emission factors when operating at 0 and 10 kW than the other fuel blends. The emission concentrations or factors of EC, OC, and TC were the lowest when B10 or B20 was used regardless of the loading. Under all tested loads, the average concentrations of total-PAHs emitted from the generator using the B10 and B20 were lower (by 38% and 28%, respectively) than those using pure petroleum diesel fuel (B0), while the emission factors of total-PAHs decreased with an increasing ratio of biodiesel to premium diesel. With an increasing loading, although the brake specific fuel consumption decreased, the energy efficiency increased despite the bio/petroleum diesel ratio. Therefore, soy-biodiesel is promising for use as an alternative fuel for diesel generators to increase energy efficiency and reduce the PM, carbon, and PAH emissions.

Characteritization of, and health risks from, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans from incense burned in a temple.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) may cause adverse health effects. However, PCDD/F emissions from burning incense in temples have rarely been addressed. This study investigates PCDD/F emissions from burning incense in a temple. The mean total PCDD/F concentrations were 72.4-82.2 pg Nm(-3) at two indoor sites; their corresponding mean total PCDD/Fs I-TEQ concentrations (0.24-0.27 pg I-TEQ Nm(-3)) were approximately 11 times that at a background location. In air samples collected from burning incense, OCDFs accounted for approximately 90% of total PCDD/Fs at the two indoor sites and an outdoor site near the temple, while the major PCDD/Fs in incense ash were PCDDs. The total PCDD/F content and toxic equivalent value of incense ash were 617 pg g(-1) and 1.55 pg I-TEQ g(-1), respectively. At the three sites inside/outside the temple, the air and ash samples contained the same four primary PCDD/Fs-OCDD, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD, OCDF and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF. The Cl- emission factor, which is related to the PCDD/F formation, from burning incense was 0.454 mg g(-1). The resultant lifetime average daily dose and cancer risk for temple workers were 0.00964 pg I-TEQ day(-1) kg(-1) and 9.64 x 10(-6), respectively, approximately 2 times that for residents near the temple (0.00489 pg I-TEQ day(-1) kg(-1) and 4.89 x 10(-6), respectively). We suggest that the chlorine content in incense must be regulated, and the high risk of PCDD/F exposure from burning incense for temple workers and visitors should be of concern.

Characterization of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran emissions from joss paper burned in a furnace with air pollution control devices.

Burning joss paper, a common practice in temples in some Asian countries, can release toxic pollutants. This study investigated polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) emissions and profiles from burning joss paper in a temple furnace connected to two wet scrubbers. The mean total PCDD/F content and corresponding toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) in joss paper were 193 ng kg(-1) and 0.645 ng I-TEQ kg(-1), respectively, whereas those in bottom ash from burned joss paper were 18.5 ng kg(-1) and 1.92 ng I-TEQ kg(-1), respectively. The wet scrubbers decreased individual PCDD/F emissions by 26.7-71.0% and those of total PCDD/Fs and I-TEQ by 47.2% and 66.0%, respectively. The total PCDD/F TEQ emission factors before and after the wet scrubbers were 8.14 and 3.42 microg I-TEQ ton-feedstock(-1), respectively. The estimated total PCDD/F and corresponding TEQ emissions were 5.29 g year(-1) and 0.462 g I-TEQ year(-1), respectively, in Taiwan. Burning joss paper in temple furnaces is a significant source of PCDD/F emissions.

PAHs, PAH-induced carcinogenic potency, and particle-extract-Induced cytotoxicity of traffic-related nano/ultrafine particles.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) bound in nano/ ultrafine particles from vehicle emissions may cause adverse health effects. However, little is known about the characteristics of the nanoparticle-bound PAHs and the PAH-associated carcinogenic potency/cytotoxicity; therefore, traffic-related nano/ultrafine particles were collected in this study using a microorifice uniform deposition impactor(MOUDI) and a nano-MOUDI. For PM0.056--18, the difference in size-distribution of particulate total-PAHs between non-after-rain and after-rain samples was statistically significant at alpha = 0.05; however, this difference was not significant for PM0.01--0.056. The PAH correlation between PM0.01--0.1 and PM0.1--1.8 was lower for the after-rain samples than forthe non-after-rain samples. The average particulate total-PAHs in five samplings displayed a trimodal distribution with a major peak in the Aitken mode (0.032--0.056 microm). About half of the particulate total-PAHs were in the ultrafine size range. The BaPeq sums of BaP, IND, and DBA (with toxic equivalence factors > or = 0.1) accounted for approximately 90% of the total-BaPeq in the nano/ultrafine particles, although these three compounds contributed little to the mass of the sampled particles. The mean content of the particle-bound total-PAHs/-BaPeqs and the PAH/BaPeq-derived carcinogenic potency followed the order nano > ultrafine > fine > coarse. For a sunny day sample, the cytotoxicity of particle extracts (using 1:1 (v/v) n-hexane/dichloromethane) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) for the nano (particularly the 10-18 nm)/ultrafine particles than for the coarser particles and bleomycin. Therefore, traffic-related nano and ultrafine particles are possibly cytotoxic.