Concentrations, profiles, and sources of atmospheric PCDD/Fs near a municipal solid waste incinerator in Eastern China

Meng Xia Xu, Jian Hua Yan, Sheng Yong Lu, Xiao Dong Li, Tong Chen, Ming Jiang Ni, Hui Fen Dai, Fei Wang, Ke Fa Cen

Research output: Journal PublicationArticlepeer-review

76 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Ambient air monitoring of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) was performed to investigate their concentrations, profiles, and sources near a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in Eastern China. The PCDD/F concentrations varied over a factor of 51.4 from 0.059 to 3.03 pg I-TEQ m-3 (or over 41.4 from 3.96 to 164 pg m-3) and fell at the higher end of the range in recorded peer investigations around the world. Almost all ambient air samples show a unique TCDF-dominanthomologue pattern, characterized bydecreasing concentrations with increasing levels of chlorination (except for OCDD). By contrast, the dominant congener in terms of concentration profiles shows temporal and spatial variations among the OCDD, OCDF, and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF. The results from a congener-specific factor analysis between ambient air and PCDD/F emission sources, as well as U.S. EPA Chemical Mass Balance (CMBS.2) and Industrial Source Complex Short Term Version 3 (ISCST3) modeling, suggestthatthe deterioration of air quality in the study area is primarily attributed to open burning of wastes (OB), followed by hot water boilers (HWBs), traffic, and the MSWI.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1023-1029
Number of pages7
JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology
Volume43
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Feb 2009
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • Environmental Chemistry

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