Sampling and analysis of ambient dioxins in northern Taiwan.
In this study, ambient air samples were taken concurrently in the vicinity area of a large-scale municipal waste incinerator (MWI) and the background area for measuring polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) concentrations from November 1999 through July 2000 in northern Taiwan. The results obtained from eighteen ambient air samples indicate that the mean PCDD/F concentration of seventeen 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners in wintertime (188-348 fg-I-TEQ/m(3)) is significantly higher than that measured in summertime (56-166 fg-I-TEQ/m(3)). In addition, the seasonal PCDD/F concentrations are compared with the ambient air quality data including CO, NO(2), PM(10) and TSP sampled from Taipei area to gain better insights. It indicates that the variation of ambient air PCDD/F concentrations is closely correlated with that of PM(10) concentrations. Besides, the results indicate that the I-TEQ concentration of ambient air in sampling site B (directly downwind of the MWI) is of the highest while the sampling site A (upwind of MWI) is of the lowest among all sampling sites. This implies that existing MWI can be a significant emitter of PCDD/Fs in this area. Furthermore, the patterns of the PCDD/F congener distribution at all sampling sites (including the background site in Taoyuan) are quite similar. OCDD concentration is of the highest among seventeen PCDD/F congeners investigated and accounts for about 35% of the total concentration. As for the I-TEQ concentrations, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF is the most significant contributor, generally being responsible for 30-45% of the total I-TEQ values depending on the sampling sites and seasons.
Chang
Moo Been
MB
Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Central University, Chungli 320, Taiwan, ROC. mbchang@ncuen.ncu.edu.tw
Weng
Ying Ming
YM
Lee
Tzu Yi
TY
Chen
Yuan Wu
YW
Chang
Shu Hao
SH
Chi
Kai Hsien
KH
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D017745:Incineration; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis*; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013624:Taiwan
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D012989:Soil Pollutants