Concentration and distribution of PCNs in ambient soil of a municipal solid waste incinerator

Abstract

The impact of a typical municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) on polychlorinated naphthalene (PCN) concentrations in surrounding soil was studied. We collected 6 stack gas samples from the MSWI and 21 soil samples from sampling sites at distances of between 300 and 1700m from the MSWI stack. Total dl-PCN (dioxin-like PCN) concentrations in the stack gas samples ranged from 6898 and 89,032pgm−3, with a mean value of 36,241pgm−3. The total dl-PCN concentrations in the soil samples ranged from 30.35 to 280.9pgg−1, with a mean value of 87.03 and a median value of 70.32pgg−1, while the TEQ values were between 7.7 and 130.2fg TEQ g−1, with a mean value of 41.12fg TEQ g−1 and a median value of 31.52fg TEQ g−1. The PCN homologue patterns and the results of Principal Component Analysis suggested that the MSWI may be a source of PCNs in the soils. A contour map, created using an ordinary Kriging interpolation technique, showed that a limited area (≤1000m radius) surrounding the MSWI was influenced by the emissions from the MSWI. Furthermore, an exponential function equation was proposed to quantify the relationship between TEQs of PCNs and the distance from the stack.