Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for characterization of liquid products from pyrolysis of municipal waste and spent tyres

Abstract

Liquid products produced from two different types of waste pyrolysismunicipal wastes and spent tyre wastes are investigated using gas chromatography- mass spectrometry. This method has been applied for detailed identification of composition of the samples. The components were characterized in terms of their Kovts retention indices on a PONA capillary column. The obtained analytical data were successfully used for the characterization of the samples. More than three hundred compounds were detected. The liquid products were complex mixtures, composed mainly of C4-C12 compounds. The examination of the selected m/z values very clearly indicates the existence of the different groups of compounds. With a lot of olefins content (31.9%), followed by aromatics (20.0%), paraffins (17.3%), and naphthenes (7.5%), it is described as the liquid product from pyrolysis of municipal solid wastes. The aromatic compounds in liquid product from pyrolysis of spent tyre wastes have the highest concentration (33.5%), and they are followed by naphthenes (28.6%), olefins (19.2%), and paraffins compounds (7.0%). The present study has shown that the pyrolysis of municipal waste and spent tyres can be used as a means for reduction of environmental pollution and production of liquid product which could be used as a fuel source.