Characteristics of PCDDs/PCDFs in stack gas from medical waste incinerators

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 188; pp. 478 - 485
• Main Authors: Yoon, Young Wook, Jeon, Tae-Wan, Son, Jun-Ik, Kim, Kyu-Yeon, Kwon, Eun-Hye, Shin, Sun-Kyoung, Kang, Jun-Gu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2017
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated - analysis; Gases - chemistry; Humans; Incineration; Medical Waste - analysis; Medical waste incinerator; PCDD; PCDF; Persistent organic pollutant; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins - analysis; Principal Component Analysis; Republic of Korea; Stack gas; PCDF; Persistent organic pollutant; Stack gas; PCDD; Medical waste incinerator
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.09.010

Toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in 45 stack gas samples were measured from 19 medical waste incinerators in South Korea using high-resolution gas chromatography equipped with a high-resolution mass spectrometer. The average concentrations of the sum of 17 toxic PCDD/PCDF congeners emitted from the medical waste incinerators ranged from 0.153 to 101.9 ng/Sm3. Based on the World Health Organization toxic equivalency factor, they ranged from 0.007 to 5.437 ng-TEQ/Sm3. The congener patterns of PCDDs/PCDFs were described using principal component analysis and presented four patterns. In the evaluation of annual average total TEQ concentrations, outlying stack gas samples were excluded. In this study, the number of chlorine substitutions was evaluated as an important factor in congener patterns. Coefficient of determination values were employed for evaluation of correlation between PCDDs and PCDFs. 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF was measured as the most emitted congener, while 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF was the greatest TEQ contributor. [Display omitted] •PCDDs/DFs were measured in stack gas of medical waste incinerators in South Korea.•45 stack gas samples were collected from 19 medical waste incinerators in 2015.•Congener patterns were evaluated by principal component analysis.•Congener patterns of PCDDs/PCDFs correlated with number of Cl substitutions.