Characteristics of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins/Dibenzofuran from Joss Paper Burned in Taiwanese Temples

Ming-Tsan Hu,Yi-Chieh Lai,Jen-Hsiung Tsai,Guo-Ping Chang-Chien,Shui-Jen Chen,Kuo-Lin Huang

doi:10.4209/aaqr.2009.01.0006

Abstract

Two types of furnaces (a mid-size furnace denoted as Furnace 1 and a small-size one denoted as Furnace 2) commonly used for burning joss paper, located in two temples in southern Taiwan, were selected for this study. With similar burning devices (semi-open systems), both furnaces can be used to burn joss paper with the aid of natural air supply through the inlets of furnace. In order to characterize peak emission of PCDD/Fs (usually on festival days) in the selected temples, the sampling campaigns were conducted during the festival period in September 2008. It was found that the mean total I-TEQ contents in the original (unburned) joss paper from Furnaces 1 and 2 were 1.41 and 4.51 ng I-TEQ/kg, respectively. The mean total I-TEQ content in the residue of burned joss paper from Furnace 1 (7.97 ng I-TEQ/kg) was approximately 15-fold that of Furnace 2 (0.490 ng I-TEQ/kg). OCDD was the most abundant congener in the joss paper and in the residues from burned joss paper. Moreover, the emission factor of total PCDD/Fs I-TEQ content of Furnace 1 (0.176 ng I-TEQ/g-feedstock) was one to two orders of magnitude higher than that of Furnace 2 (0.0203 I-TEQ/g-feedstock). This phenomenon is probably associated with the high chlorine content in the unburned joss paper of Furnace 1, and high exhaust temperature from burning joss paper in Furnace 1 (271℃) was possibly within a range that might highly promote de novo formation of PCDD/Fs. It is necessary for the investigated furnaces to install air pollution control devices in order to reduce the PCDD/F emission from joss paper burning.

Highlights

Joss paper, mainly made of recycled paper and bamboo, is commonly used for ceremonial purposes in some Asian countries with Buddhist and Taoist religions
To assess toxicologically relevant information on PCDD/Fs, the I-TEQ values for PCDD/Fs were calculated using the contents of seventeen 2,3,7,8-chlorinated substitutes and their Toxicity Equivalency Factors (TEFs)
The TEF value adopted in this study is referred to the “International” scheme (NATO/CCMS, 1998) because it reflects the toxic potency of each tested PCDD/F compound relative to the 2,3,7,8-TCDD congener

Summary

Introduction

Mainly made of recycled paper and bamboo, is commonly used for ceremonial purposes in some Asian countries with Buddhist and Taoist religions. It is burned during ritual practice for deity worshipping among many families and in most temples in Taiwan. The ritual is generally practiced on the first and the fifteenth day of the Chinese lunar month It produces non-stop heavy smoke during the long, slow, and incomplete combustion of joss paper (Lin et al, 2002; Yang et al, 2005; Chiang et al, 2006). High concentration and long exposure of PM from such pollutants may cause adverse human health effects (Lin et al, 2008; Wang et al, 2008; Xu et al, 2008; Zhang et al, 2008)

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