Recycling process of decoration and demolition waste is a neglected source for emerging concerns in particulate phase: PAHs as an example

Nana Zang; Pinjing He; Hua Zhang; Xiaoxing Zhang; Fan Lü

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2025.109393

Recycling process of decoration and demolition waste is a neglected source for emerging concerns in particulate phase: PAHs as an example

Environ Int. 2025 Apr:198:109393. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109393. Epub 2025 Mar 25.

Authors

Nana Zang¹, Pinjing He², Hua Zhang², Xiaoxing Zhang³, Fan Lü⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Waste Treatment & Reclamation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
² Institute of Waste Treatment & Reclamation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
³ Shanghai Yuexin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd, Shanghai 201800, China.
⁴ Institute of Waste Treatment & Reclamation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address: lvfan.rhodea@tongji.edu.cn.

PMID: 40153978
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109393

Abstract

Decoration and demolition waste (DDW) has been widely studied because of its annual surge in output, complex composition, and high utilization potential. DDW recycling is a key element of circular economy, with the potential for emerging pollutants in the particulate phase. Thus, this study selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as the representative and investigated their emission characteristics and occupational risk in the particulate phase, including 2.5-μm (PM_2.5), inhalable (PM₁₀), total suspended particles (TSP), and dust samples of different sizes (75-100 μm, 50-75 μm, and < 50 μm), from dust collectors during DDW recycling. Acenaphthylene (Acy), chrysene (Chr), benz[a]anthracene (BaA), fluoranthene (Fla), pyrene (Pyr), phenanthrene (Phe) were detected in all samples. PM_2.5 and dust in 75-100 μm own the highest total occupation risk of 1.51 × 10^-13 and 2.07 × 10^-15, respectively. Chr and BaA had the control priority with the converted toxicity of 162.82 ng/g and 233.35 ng/g. Moreover, nontarget screening was applied to mining out isophorone, benzophenone, and other carcinogenic micropollutants in the PM_2.5, PM₁₀, TSP, and dust samples. Global PAHs from DDW recycling production can reach 193.44 ± 241.80 kg/a under reasonable estimation. This study provides strong evidence that DDW recycling is a neglected source of concern in the particulate phase.

Keywords: Airborne; Construction and demolition waste; Contaminants of emerging concerns; Decoration and demolition waste; Nontarget analysis; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Dust / analysis
Environmental Monitoring
Particulate Matter* / analysis
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons* / analysis
Recycling*

Substances

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Particulate Matter
Air Pollutants
Dust