Carbon Dioxide Separation from Flue Gases: A Technological Review Emphasizing Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Table 1

The main greenhouse gases and their concentration [2, 3].

Compound	Preindustrial concentration (ppmv)	Concentration in 2011 (ppmv)	Atmospheric lifetime (years)	Main human activity source	GWP**
Carbon dioxide (CO2)	280	388.5	~100	Fossil fuels, cement production, land use	1
Methane (CH4)	0.715	1.87/1.748	12	Fossil fuels, rice paddies, waste dumps, livestock	25
Nitrous oxide (N2O)	0.27	0.323	114	Fertilizers, combustion industrial processes	298
CFC-12 (CCL2F2)	0	0.000533	100	Liquid coolants, foams	10,900
CF-113 (CCl2CClF2)	0	0.00000075	85	n.a.	6,130
HFC 23 (CHF3)	0	0.000018	270	Electronics, refrigerants	11,700
HCFC-22 (CCl2F2)	0	0.000218	12	Refrigerants	1,810
HFC 134 (CF3CH2F)	0	0.000035	14	Refrigerants	1,300
HCFC-141b (CH3CCl2F)	0	0.00000022	9.3	n.a.	725
HCFC-142b (CH3CClF2)	0	0.00000020	17.9	n.a.	2,310
HFC 152 (CH3CHF2)	0	0.0000039	1.4	Industrial processes	140
Perfluoromethane (CF4)	0.00004	0.00008*	50,000	Aluminum production	6,500
Perfluoroethane (C2F6)	0	0.000003*	10,000	Aluminum production	9,200
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)	0	0.00000712*	3,200	Dielectric fluid	22,800

 *Concentration in 2011.
**Global warming potentials (GWPs) measure the relative effectiveness of GHGs in trapping the Earth’s heat.