Formation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Pyrolysis of 2-Methylfuran at Different Reaction Temperatures

ABSTRACT

The formation of soot and 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) has been studied during the pyrolysis of 2-methylfuran (2-MF), with a constant 2-MF inlet concentration at different reaction temperatures (975–1475 K) in a tubular flow reactor installation. Light gases and soot were measured at the reactor outlet. The concentration of the target PAH was determined according to their distribution in different phases (gas phase, adsorbed on soot, and stuck on reactor walls). This work revealed that PAH were mainly adsorbed on a soot surface. Only naphthalene was present in major amounts in the gas phase. The carcinogenic equivalence sum (KE) related to PAH concentration was also evaluated, and the highest value was found in the PAH collected from the soot and reactor walls at 1175 K. The results showed that, while more soot is formed by increasing the temperature, the PAH yield exhibits a maximum in the temperature range considered.

KEYWORDS:

• 2-Methylfuran
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Pyrolysis
• Toxicity

Additional information

Funding

The authors express their gratitude to the Aragon Government and European Social Fund (GPT group), and MINECO and FEDER (Project CTQ2012-34423) for financial support. Mr. F. Viteri acknowledges the University of Zaragoza and Ecuadorian “Secretaría Nacional de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación” (SENESCYT) of Ecuador, for the predoctoral grant awarded.