Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 98 (2012) 72–78 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jaap Reductive and oxidative combustion of polyethylene bags: Characterization of carbonaceous and nitrogenous species Salifou K. Ouiminga a,∗ , Thomas Rogaume b,2 , Tizane Daho a,1 , Arsène H. Yonli a,1 , Jean Koulidiati a,1 a Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l’Environnement, Université de Ouagadougou 03 BP 7021 Ouaga 03, Burkina Faso b Laboratoire de Combustion et de Détonique (UPR 9028 CNRS), ENSMA – Téléport 2, 1 avenue Clément ADER, BP 40109, 86961 FUTUROSCOPE cedex, France article info Article history: Received 4 October 2011 Accepted 7 April 2012 Available online 1 June 2012 Keywords: Combustion Polyethylene Carbon Nitrogen abstract This study aims to experimentally characterize the gaseous carbonaceous and nitrogenous species from the reductive and oxidant combustion of polyethylene plastic bags. The experimental device used is the tubular furnace, coupled to two gas analyzers: a Fourier transform infrared analyzer (FTIR) and a non dispersive infrared analyzer (NDIR). The gaseous products analyzed are: CO, CO 2 , CH 4 ,C 3 H 8 ,C 2 H 4 ,C 2 H 2 , C 6 H 6 , HCN, N 2 O, NO, NO 2 and NH 3 . The experiments were conducted at temperatures ranging from 800 to 1000 ◦ C. The results obtained allow us to note that carbonaceous compounds are mainly emitted as carbon oxides (CO and CO 2 ) whether you are reductive combustion or oxidative combustion. In addition: - Under reductive conditions, combustion is controlled by oxygen. The hydrocarbon most active in the formation of carbon monoxide is ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and to a lesser extent, from 900 ◦ C, acetylene (C 2 H 2 ). The extents we have made show that ammonia seem to be emitted during combustion with 10% of oxygen. - In an oxidative environment, there is production of C 6 H 6 in substantial quantities, which partly explains the presence of soot and tar in the smoke exhaust ducts. The C 2 H 4 , CH 4 and C 2 H 2 are hydrocarbons most active in the formation of CO and CO 2 . Increasing of concentration of local oxygen from 10 to 21% for the combustion of plastic bags, favors an increase in efficiency of carbon conversion about 30%. About 99% of the carbon of the fuel is found to be converted to carbon oxides or hydrocarbons. Nitrogen monoxide (NO) is the major component among the gases measured with a conversion rate of nitrogen about 20%, three times larger than that obtained during the reductive combustion of plastic bags with 10% oxygen. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Nowadays, the urban waste management has become a major problem in most of the towns. Indeed, the rate of citizens is increas- ing all over the world, inducing an increase of the production of urban wastes. The composition of these wastes is very com- plex, depending on the town, the type of climate, the standing of population... Plastics bags are present in the waste and need to be selectively managed because of their environmental and health ∗ Corresponding author at: UFR/SEA, LPCE, 03 BP 7021 Ouaga 03; Université de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Tel.: +226 50 39 38 15; fax: +226 50 39 33 37. E-mail addresses: salifou ouiminga@univ-ouaga.bf, salif0477@yahoo.com (S.K. Ouiminga). 1 Tel.: +226 50 39 38 15; fax: +226 50 39 33 37. 2 Tel.: +33 5 49 49 82 90; fax: +33 5 49 49 82 91. impact. Indeed, these used plastic bags cause damages for agri- culture, breeding, and generate also visual pollution in the towns. These synthetic plastic bags are not biodegradable and represent a long term problem for environment managers. Recycling and land- fill of plastic bags is not always easy and/or cost effective. Under controlled conditions, thermal treatments can be considered as effi- cient and reliable methods to reduce the size and the volume of wastes containing plastic bags. However, this incineration gener- ates both solid and gaseous pollution which need to be reduced. Many authors worked on the characterization of the gas from incineration units [1–19]. It appears that many toxic compounds such as carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides, chlorine products (dioxins and furans), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), poly- cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dust... are present in gaseous emissions resulting from incineration [1–19]. Many other authors worked specially on the characterization of reactional intermedi- ates during the combustion process [1–19]. Unfortunately most of 0165-2370/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2012.04.001