Formation, Measurement, and Control of Dioxins from the Incineration of Municipal Solid Wastes: Recent Advances and Perspectives

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) consist of 210 kinds of pollutants, 17 of which are highly toxic to humans. PCDD/F is mainly produced during combustion and incineration processes. This review focuses on the formation, measurement, and control of dioxins in municipal solid waste incineration. Typical PCDD/F emission concentrations and air pollutant control devices are introduced in the work. The formation mechanisms of PCDD/F are divided into homogeneous synthesis and heterogeneous synthesis, and some previous reviews and the latest work are introduced. Considering the complexity, high cost, and time lag of traditional offline detection methods based on high-resolution gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry, fast and indirect measurement techniques have been recently developed, among which resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry is a good option. The study of online/at-line in situ measurements and the correlation between PCDD/F and the indicator are reviewed in detail. Due to the strict policies regarding pollutants’ emissions, state-of-the-art remediation technologies are used to reduce dioxin formation and emission from incineration. A comprehensive discussion about the control of dioxin emission is also reviewed in this work. Finally, challenges, future directions, and perspectives are proposed.