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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

FROM VOLUME 5, NUMBER 5, MAY 1992

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS...
HALOCARBONS: DESTRUCTION

Item #d92may34

"Biological Degradation of Chlorofluorocarbons in Anaerobic Environments," B.A. Denovan, S.E. Strand (Forest Resour., Univ. Washington, Seattle WA 98195), Chemosphere, 24(7), 935-940, Apr. 1992.

In laboratory studies, F-11, F-12 and F-113 were degraded by microbial activity in anaerobic sludges, and F-11 and F-113 were degraded in sediments. Up to 9% of all CFCs may be susceptible to biological degradation before release to the atmosphere.

Item #d92may35

"Investigation of the Thermal Destruction of Chlorofluoromethanes in a Turbulent Flame," J.R. Pedersen (Studsvik Energy, S-611 82 Nyköping, Swed.), B. Källman, ibid., 24(2), 117-126, Jan. 1992.

Destruction of CFCs of 99.995% or better was achieved in a turbulent jet-stirred burner using either propane or methane as fuel. Under proper conditions, emissions of chlorobenzenes in the flue gases are in the ppb range. Fire extinguisher bromotrifluoromethane can be similarly destroyed; the formation of free bromine can be inhibited by injection of steam into the flame, which also reduces the amount of chlorinated hydrocarbons emitted.

Item #d92may36

"Dehalogenation of Trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) by Methanoscarcina barkeri," U.E. Krone (Mikrobiol. Lab., Univ. Marburg, K. von Frisch Str., W-3550 Marburg, Ger.), R.K. Thauer, FEMS Microbiol. Lett., 90(2), 201-204, Jan. 1, 1992. Products observed from the reductive dehalogenation were CHFCl2, CH1FCl, CO and fluoride.

Item #d92may37

"Direct Catalytic Oxidation of Halogenated Hydrocarbons," J.R. Kittrell (KSE Inc., POB 368, Amherst MA 01004), C.W. Quinlan, J.W. Eldridge, J. Air Waste Mgmt. Assoc., 41(8), 1129-1133, Aug. 1991.

Describes a new process which can selectively oxidize halogenated hydrocarbons to hydrochloric acid and CO₂. This low temperature catalytic combustion is shown to have advantages over thermal incinerators, the principal destruction alternative, and is effective for small-scale installations.