Mechanistic relationships among PCDDs/Fs, PCNs, PAHs, CIPhs, and CIBzs in municipal waste incineration

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 41; no. 13; pp. 4705 - 4710
• Main Authors: OH, Jeong-Eun, GULLETT, Brian, RYAN, Shawn, TOUATI, Abderrahmane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.07.2007
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Chlorobenzenes - chemistry; Combustion and energy production; Exact sciences and technology; Incineration; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Polycyclic Compounds - chemistry; Refuse Disposal; Urban and domestic wastes; Wastes; Cluster analysis; Dioxin derivatives; Hydrocarbon; Toxicity; Urban waste; Pollutant formation; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Operating conditions; Incineration plant; Correlation analysis; Chlorine Organic compounds; Solid waste; Toxic equivalency factor; Reaction mechanism; Phenols; Aromatic compound; Principal component analysis
• DOI: 10.1021/es0629716
• ISSN: 0013-936X

An extensive investigation was conducted to understand polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and furan (PCDD/F) formation mechanisms and their relationship with other organic compounds. PCDD/F, chlorophenols (CIPhs), chlorobenzenes (CIBzs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) were analyzed in the boiler exit gases of a field-scale municipal solid waste incinerator under various operating conditions. The TEQ value and the concentration of target compounds changed with incinerator operating conditions. Low mass PAHs and 246-triCIPh increased dramatically during shut downs; the latter was associated with increased 1368- and 1379-TeCDD. A strong correlation was observed between PCNs and PCDFs and adjacent PCNs homologue group were closely related to each other. This suggested that PCN formation is related with chlorination/dechlorination mechanisms similar to PCDFs. PCDDs were related with most of the CIPhs and the high chlorinated benzenes. Most of target compounds except PAHs had a positive correlation (R2 > 0.5) with TEQ and half of them showed a good relationship (R2 > 0.8) with PCDDs/Fs toxic equivalency (TEQ).