The Use of Air Pollution Controls to Reduce the Gas-phase Emissions of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances from a Fluoropolymer Manufacturing Facility.

Abstract

The efficacies of a thermal oxidizer and carbon adsorption beds used as air pollution control technologies at a fluoropolymer manufacturing facility were evaluated for nonpolar volatile fluorinated compounds (VFCs) using Other Test Method (OTM)-50. The target compounds for OTM-50 include industrial fluorocarbons, common products of incomplete combustion, reaction byproducts, and common refrigerants. The thermal oxidizer's emissions were found to contain tetrafluoromethane, CF₄. Emissions from the carbon adsorption beds used to scrub the fugitive air emissions for two vinyl ether synthesis facilities were sampled and the analyses showed that the compounds with boiling points below 100 °C were not effectively adsorbed. This research shows that the facility's thermal oxidizer is effective at destroying high concentration streams of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and that the carbon beds can reduce emissions for compounds with boiling points over 100 °C.