Effects of sodium bromide and sodium iodide on the thermal decomposition characteristics of nitrification wastes

The handling of nitrification waste (NW) presents considerable safety risks due to its propensity for thermal runaway. This study investigates the influence of sodium bromide (NaBr) and sodium iodide (NaI) on the thermal breakdown properties of NW. The thermal stability and apparent activation energy (E_a) were examined using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analyzer. The results demonstrate that the inclusion of NaBr and NaI modifies the thermal breakdown characteristics of NW. NaBr effectively decreases the E_a from 246.6 to 78.6 kJ mol⁻¹ and enhances the onset temperature (T_o) from 141.0 to 107.7 °C during the initial decomposition stage. However, NaI reduces the E_a to 154.49 kJ mol⁻¹ while having a negligible effect on the T_o. The findings indicate that the thermal behavior of NW can be altered by NaBr and NaI, providing valuable information for the development of safer handling and treatment methods. This study offers useful data for the advancement of enhanced safety standards in the management of NW.