Abstract
This study investigated five persistent organic pollutants (polychlorinated and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs/PBDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs/PBDFs), biphenyls (PCBs/PBBs), and diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)) in ash collected from several units (super heater (SH), heat economizer (HE), semi-dryer absorber (SDA), bag-house filter (BF), and fly ash pit (FAP), and bottom ash (BA) discharger) of a large-scale municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI). Data on levels and emission factors of the five target compounds in the different units of the MSWI were first reported. The PCDD/Fs were found in high content in the HE, mainly because of the operating temperature range (250–400°C) which is favorable for PCDD/F formation through de novo synthesis. High concentrations PCBs and PBBs were detected in the BF. The highest concentrations of PBDD/Fs and PBDEs were observed in the BA. A significant correlation existed between content of PCDD/F and PCB in individual ash and corresponding operating temperature, while the content of ash-bound PBDD/Fs and PBDEs chiefly related to feeding wastes that contained brominated flame retardants. The emission of the five pollutants in the MSWI was primarily from fly ash. Further treatment is necessary for ash collected from the HE and BF because the ash had total-PCDD/F content exceeding the regulation limit (1 ng I-TEQ/g) in Taiwan.
Highlights
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), a very heterogeneous group of substances including chlorinated and brominated aromatics, have been of great concerns in the global environment
This study investigated five persistent organic pollutants (polychlorinated and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs/PBDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs/PBDFs), biphenyls (PCBs/PBBs), and diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)) in ash collected from several units (super heater (SH), heat economizer (HE), semi-dryer absorber (SDA), bag-house filter (BF), and fly ash pit (FAP), and bottom ash (BA) discharger) of a large-scale municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI)
A significant correlation existed between content of PCDD/F and PCB in individual ash and corresponding operating temperature, while the content of ash-bound PBDD/Fs and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) related to feeding wastes that contained brominated flame retardants
Summary
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), a very heterogeneous group of substances including chlorinated and brominated aromatics, have been of great concerns in the global environment. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) are well-known POPs, mostly found in fly ash and stack gases generated by municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) (Rappe, 1993; Lee et al, 2004a; Lee et al, 2004b; Wang et al, 2005; Kao et al, 2006; Lin et al, 2008). Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 10: 391–402, 2010 reported that PBDD/Fs can be generated in some production and waste incineration processes involving plastics containing BFRs (Vehlow et al, 2000; Sakai et al, 2001). It was reported that the pyrolysis of waste printed circuit boards at 850 and 1200°C in a pilot-scale melting system generated PBDD/Fs (0.231–0.490 ng I-TEQ/g) in residues (Lai et al, 2007)
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