Determination of levels of persistent organic pollutants (PCDD/Fs, PBDD/Fs, PBDEs, PCBs, and PBBs) in atmosphere near a municipal solid waste incinerator

Environmental Pollution

Nie

et al. 2014

a b s t r a c tUnintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (UP-POPs) were determined in ambient air from around five secondary non-ferrous metal processing plants in China, to investigate the potential impacts of the emissions of these plants on their surrounding environments. The target compounds were polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dlPCBs), and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs). The PCDD/F, dl-PCB, and PCN concentrations in the ambient air downwind of the plants were 4.70e178, 8.23e7520 and 152e4190 pg/m 3 , respectively, and the concentrations upwind of the plants were lower. Clear correlations were found between ambient air and stack gas concentrations of the PCDD/Fs, dl-PCBs, and PCNs among the five plants, respectively. Furthermore, the UP-POPs homolog and congener patterns in the ambient air were similar to the patterns in the stack gas samples. These results indicate that UP-POPs emissions from the plants investigated have obvious impacts on the environments surrounding the plants.

Section: Comparison Of Atmospheric Up-pops Concentrations With Some Icontrasting

confidence: 92%

Section: Comparison Of Atmospheric Up-pops Concentrations With Some Imentioning

confidence: 92%

Characterization of polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins and dibenzofurans, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, and polychlorinated naphthalenes in the environment surrounding secondary copper and aluminum metallurgical facilities in China

Environmental Pollution

Nie

et al. 2014

“…PCB levels have seldom been reported in workplace air of secondary nonferrous metal processing plants, to the best of our knowledge, although some studies have investigated atmospheric levels of PCBs in the surrounding environment of industrial thermal processes. 19,20 With regard to PCNs, the total concentrations (tri-to octachlorinated naphthalenes) were in the range of 252−31900 pg/m 3 in workplace air among secondary nonferrous metal processing plants ( Table 2). The dioxin-like toxicity of PCNs has been investigated in previous studies.…”

Section: ■ Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A possible difference in raw materials or operating conditions among different plants may be responsible for this difference and requires further research. With regard to the dl-PCBs, a relatively large contribution to total UP-POP intake by inhalation was found in TY, YD, QY, and TF plants (10,11,19, and 11%, respectively). The TEQ contribution from dl-PCBs formed via de novo synthesis usually accounted for approximately 3−7.5% of the total TEQ in the incineration processes.…”

Section: ■ Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occupational Exposure to Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Dibenzofurans, Dioxin-like Polychlorinated Biphenyls, and Polychlorinated Naphthalenes in Workplaces of Secondary Nonferrous Metallurgical Facilities in China

Liu

et al. 2013

Environ. Sci. Technol.

ABSTRACT:The concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs), and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) were determined in workplace air from eight secondary nonferrous metal processing plants to investigate occupational exposure to these toxic compounds. The total estimated daily intakes of PCDD/Fs and dlPCBs for workers by inhalation in the workplace were in the range of 0.15−9.91 and 0.13−8.59 pg of WHO-TEQ/kg of body weight (bw) for moderate and light activities, respectively. The daily inhalation doses for workers in the workplaces of three investigated plants exceeded the tolerable daily intake recommended by the World Health Organization. These results indicate that the risk of occupational exposure to dioxins by inhalation in the workplace of plants investigated was considerably high. For PCNs, the daily inhalation doses for workers in the workplace were in the range of 0.005−4.46 and 0.004−3.87 pg of TEQ/kg of bw for moderate and light activities, respectively, which were lower than those of dioxins. To identify the source of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, and PCNs in workplace air, their homologue profiles were compared with those in stack gas from the plants investigated. It was found that significant dioxin contamination in workplace air was mainly attributed to the emission of fugitive gas from smelting furnaces during reclamation processes. ■ INTRODUCTIONSecondary metal smelters primarily engage in the recovery of nonferrous metals and alloys from new and used scrap and dross. Scrap metal and metal wastes may contain organic materials, such as plastics, paints, and solvents. 1 High emissions of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (UPPOPs) have been determined in stack gas of secondary nonferrous metal processing plants, caused by the combustion of these impurities in the presence of various types of metals during reclamation processes. 2−6 During the secondary nonferrous metal smelting process, the smelting furnace door would be open for feeding raw material, mixing, and other necessary operations. Therefore, fugitive UP-POP emissions can be directly released into the workplace air during the process. Several studies have been conducted to investigate polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) concentrations in the workplace air of some industrial thermal processes, such as sinter plants, municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs), and secondary aluminum and copper smelters. 7−10 Moreover, the results of these studies suggested that there was significant PCDD/F contamination in the workplace air of the industrial thermal process plants investigated. Shih et al. 8 investigated PCDD/F levels in the workplace atmosphere of a sinter plant, and their results indicated that PCDD/F concentrations in workplace air (0.55− 2.14 pg of I-TEQ/m 3 ) were obviously higher than that of the outside ambient environment (0.07 pg of I-TEQ/m 3 ). In a secondary aluminum smelter, PCDD/F concentrations during operation were ...

“…PCB-118 is generally considered to be the dominant congener among the dl-PCBs for many thermal related sources [38][39][40][41]. The concentrations of the dl-PCB congeners are shown in Fig.…”

Section: Unintentional Pop Congener Profiles In Emissions From Thermamentioning

confidence: 99%

A preliminary investigation of unintentional POP emissions from thermal wire reclamation at industrial scrap metal recycling parks in China

Nie

Journal of Hazardous Materials

Liu

et al. 2012

a b s t r a c tThermal wire reclamation is considered to be a potential source of unintentional persistent organic pollutants (unintentional POPs). In this study, unintentional POP concentrations, including PCDD/Fs, dioxin like PCBs (dl-PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), hexachlorobenzene (HxCBz) and pentachlorobenzene (PeCBz), were quantified in flue gas and residual ash emissions from thermal wire reclamation at scrap metal dismantling parks in Zhejiang Province, China. The total average TEQ emissions of the investigated unintentional POPs from flue gas and residual ash in two typical scrap metal recycling plants ranged from 13.1 to 48.3 ng TEQ N m −3 and 0.08 to 2.8 ng TEQ g −1 , respectively. The dominant PCDD/F congeners were OCDD, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD, OCDF and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF, while PCB-126 and PCB-169 were the main contributors to the toxicity of the dl-PCBs. There were clear differences in the distribution dl-PCBs congeners contributing to the TEQ concentrations in the flue gas samples from the two plants. The PCN TEQs were dominated by PCN-66/67 and PCN-73. Although thermal wire reclamation in incinerators has been proposed as an alternative to open burning, there are still considerable environmental risks associated with regulated incinerators, and unintentional POP emissions from thermal wire reclamation sites need to be controlled by local government agencies.