Fast pyrolysis utilizes biomass to produce a product that is used both as an energy source and a feedstock for chemical production. Considerable efforts have been made to convert wood biomass to liquid fuels and chemicals since the oil crisis in mid-1970s. This review focuses on the recent developments in the wood pyrolysis and reports the characteristics of the resulting bio-oils, which are the main products of fast wood pyrolysis. Virtually any form of biomass can be considered for fast pyrolysis. Most work has been performed on wood, because of its consistency and comparability between tests. However, nearly 100 types of biomass have been tested, ranging from agricultural wastes such as straw, olive pits, and nut shells to energy crops such as miscanthus and sorghum. Forestry wastes such as bark and thinnings and other solid wastes, including sewage sludge and leather wastes, have also been studied. In this review, the main (although not exclusive) emphasis has been given to wood. The literature on woo...

Pyrolysis of Wood/Biomass for Bio-oil: A Critical Review

Effect of biodiesel fuels on diesel engine emissions

Halogenated aromatic compounds, typified by the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), biphenyls (PCBs), and diphenylethers (PCDEs), are industrial compounds or byproducts which have been widely identified in the environment and in chemical-waste dumpsites. Halogenated aromatics are invariably present in diverse analytes as highly complex mixtures of isomers and congeners and this complicates the hazard and risk assessment of these compounds. Several studies have confirmed the common receptor-mediated mechanism of action of toxic halogenated aromatics and this has resulted in the development of structure-activity relationships for this class of chemicals. The most toxic halogenated aromatic is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and based on in vivo and in vitro studies the relative toxicities of individual halogenated aromatics have been determined relative to TCDD (i.e., toxic equivalents). The derived toxic equivalents can be used for hazard and risk assessment of halogenated aromatic mixtures; moreover, for more complex mixtures containing congeners for which no standards are available (e.g., bromo/chloro mixtures), several in vitro or in vivo assays can be utilized for hazard or risk assessment.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and related compounds: environmental and mechanistic considerations which support the development of toxic equivalency factors (TEFs).

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and related compounds : environmental and mechanistic considerations with support the development of toxic equivalency factors (TEFs)

http://www.adktroutguide.com/files/2003_Pyrolysis_of_biomass_and_sludge_to_produce_fuels_and_chemical_feedstocks.pdf

Pyrolysis of biomass to produce fuels and chemical feedstocks

The problem of complete extraction of acrylamide from potato chips was investigated. A method was developed based on the Soxhlet extraction technique. A defatted sample was extracted continuously with methanol, for 10 days, in a Soxhlet extractor. After about 7 days, a constant concentration of acrylamide was reached. This indicates that all the acrylamide that could be removed from the sample had been extracted. Acrylamide was identified in the extract using GC-MS and scan mode. Total concentration was 14500 microg kg(-1) using GC-FID and standard additions. Complementary determinations, using an external standard (GC-FID and GC-MS) and an internal standard (GC-FID), showed results within +/- 5%. A previously published study, using a static extraction method and GC-MS and LC-MS-MS, showed concentrations of 2287 and 1993 microg kg(-1), respectively. The results are discussed in relation to a recent model and analogous experiments. The extracted amount of acrylamide is affected by several parameters: solvent properties, solvent volume, extraction time, temperature, particle size, and the microstructure of the sample.

Jörgen R. Pedersen

Papers

Soxhlet extraction of acrylamide from potato chips.

Investigation of oxidation of a mineral and a synthetic engine oil

Methane, hydrogen chloride and oxygen form a wide range of chlorinated organic species in the temperature range 400°C–950°C

Formation of chlorinated organic compounds during combustion of propane in the presence of HCl

Slow pyrolysis of spruce and pine samples studied with GC/MS and GC/FTIR/FID