What question did this study set out to answer?

The central aim is to characterize VOC release from torrefied waste biomass and assess its safety implications.

February 6, 2026Journal of Environmental Management0 citationsOpen Access

Characterization and implications of volatile organic compounds release from raw and torrefied biogenic refuse-derived fuel components

MHMałgorzata HejnaWrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences JŁJacek Łyczko JKJacek A. Koziel

Key Points

The central aim is to characterize VOC release from torrefied waste biomass and assess its safety implications.
Investigation of VOC release from four biogenic RDF components: cellulose, chicken meat, pine sawdust, and starch.
Torrefaction conducted at temperatures between 200-300 °C.
Characterization of ninety VOCs identified during the process and analysis of their properties.
Significant differences in VOC composition were identified among feedstocks.
Cellulose had the lowest VOC release, while chicken meat released diverse nitrogenous and sulfur compounds.
Pine sawdust emitted terpenes, and starch produced abundant furans and acids.
Twenty-three VOCs identified as hazardous according to EU regulations, indicating toxicological concerns.

Abstract

The torrefaction of waste biomass to produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) offers a promising route for waste valorization. Yet, the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during this process raises concerns regarding environmental and occupational safety. This study investigates VOC release from four biogenic RDF components (cellulose, chicken meat, pine sawdust, starch) torrefied at 200-300 °C. Ninety VOCs were identified and characterized for their properties. Significant differences in VOC composition were observed among the feedstocks: cellulose exhibited the lowest release levels, dominated by small aldehydes; chicken meat released diverse nitrogenous and sulfur-containing compounds; pine sawdust emitted terpenes and lignin-derived aromatics; and starch produced abundant furans and acids. Hazardous VOCs such as furfural, dimethyl disulfide, and toluene were identified. Cross-referencing with the EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) regulation revealed twenty-three VOCs associated with health- and environment-related hazard statements, demonstrating that a substantial fraction of the released compounds is of regulatory and toxicological concern. Notably, protein- and lignin-rich components produced the most toxicologically relevant profiles. These findings demonstrate that VOC release from RDF cannot be adequately managed using uniform process assumptions and instead requires feedstock-specific assessment and control strategies. The component-level approach enables targeted risk mitigation strategies and informs policy development for waste-to-energy applications. Future work should assess VOC interactions in mixed RDF and explore mitigation technologies for hazardous emissions from thermal processing.

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