US EPA

1989979 

Journal Article 

Chlorodibenzodioxins, Chlorodibenzofurans And Related Compounds In The Effluents From Combustion Processes 

Tiernan, TO; Taylor, ML; Garrett, JH; Vanness, GF; Solch, JG; Deis, DA; Wagel, DJ 

1983 

Yes 

Chemosphere
ISSN: 0045-6535
EISSN: 1879-1298 

12 

4-5 

4-5 

English 

10.1016/0045-6535(83)90217-5 

WOS:A1983QT82800028 

Determining chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in incinerator products was assessed. The incinerator sampled was a steam boiler designed for energy recovery from the combustion of municipal refuse. The boiler was equipped with an electrostatic precipitator and the effluent was vented through a stack. Stack emissions were sampled. Samples were spiked with internal standards and extracted with hexane or benzene. Organic extracts were fractionated, then subjected to analysis by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Recoveries of internal standards ranged from 70 to 100 percent. Incinerator flue gas effluents sampled contained all of the chlorinated compounds for which the samples were analyzed. The relative concentrations were: chlorophenols, chlorobenzenes, dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). The chlorophenols and chlorobenzenes were the major products, while PCBs were almost negligible. Pyrolysis of pine wood and other fuels in air with or without a chlorine (7782505) source produced no detectable dibenzo-p-dioxins or dibenzofurans. The authors conclude that chlorinated phenols, chlorinated benzenes, and PCB have all been proposed as precursors or intermediates in the formation of dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in combustion environments; the quantities of PCB are so small that it is unlikely that PCB is important to their production. Chlorophenol (25167800) and chlorobenzene (108907) concentrations are large enough to be dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran precursors or reaction intermediates; when detected in flue gases, they are formed by several mechanisms that probably involve chlorobenzenes and chlorophenols.