On-line Monitoring System of P₅CDF Homologues in Waste Incineration Plants Using VUV-SPI-IT-TOFMS

Abstract

It usuallytakes a few weeks to analyze dioxin concentrations and dioxin-TEQ (toxicity equivalency quantity) in fluegases from municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerators by a standard method provided by Japanese industrial standard (JIS 0311). To reduce the required time for analysis, we have developed a new on-line measuring system for furans homologues. This system is composed of a sensitive and robust vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) single-photon ionization (SPI) ion trap (IT) time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-SPI-IT-TOFMS) and automatic sampling/concentrating process. In this work, pentachloro-dibenzofuran (P5CDF) was selected as an index homologue in chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/ furan homologues (DXNs) because its concentration and I-TEF (international toxicity equivalency factor), which are 2,3,4,7,8-P5CDF is 0.5 and 1,2,3,7,8-P5CDF is 0.05, are high and the concentration correlates closely with the total amount of dioxin-TEQ. The lowest detectable limit, 1 pg (0.001 ng-TEQ/m3 N) was demonstrated by laboratory tests. This system underwent a field test at several actual MSW plants and the tests revealed the following: (a) This system is applicable for dioxin-TEQ evaluation from actual MSW incinerators. (b) It can continuously monitor P5CDF in a fluegas for 7 months. (c) The frequency of the measurements is once every 2-6 h, depending on the concentration of P5-CDF.

Comparison of PCDD/F levels and profiles in fly ash samples from multiple industrial thermal sources

“…However, there is still no agreement on which is the most suitable TEQ indicator. Specific 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/F congeners, such as 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran, lower chlorinated homologs, including mono to tri-CDD/F, chlorobenzes, and chlorophenols, have been suggested in different publications (Gullett and Wikström, 2000;Blumenstock et al, 2001;Tsuruga et al, 2007). Stack gas emissions were the main focus of studies examining the potential indicators of PCDD/F TEQs in atmospheric emissions.…”

An in-source stretched membrane inlet for on-line analysis of VOCs in water with single photon ionization TOFMS

“…3, the signal intensities of MTBE, ETBE, benzene, toluene and p-xylene were enhanced 11.8, 9.0, 7.3, 5.5 and 4.7 times when the HFM was stretched from the original 2 cm to 8 cm in the ion source. This improvement is attributed to the increasing inner and outer surface area of the stretched HFM from 32 to 88 mm 2 and from 59 to 133 mm 2 respectively, as well as the decreasing thickness from 215 to 90 mm. From eqn (1), we can conclude that the sensitivity of the membrane inlet for analytes is in direct proportion to the membrane area and inversely proportional to the thickness.…”

Identification of indicator congeners and evaluation of emission pattern of polychlorinated naphthalenes in industrial stack gas emissions by statistical analyses

“…For example, monochlorobenzene was found to be an indicator for the PCDD/F TEQ emitted from a waste incinerator (Gullett et al, 2008). Tsuruga et al sug-gested that the pentachlorodibenzofuran homolog is a good indicator for the PCDD/F TEQ (Tsuruga et al, 2007). However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have yet been performed to identify possible marker congeners for total PCNs ( P 2-8 PCN) or PCN homolog production during industrial thermal processes.…”