Uncertainty assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofuran and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl analysis in stationary source sample emissions in accordance with the impending European standard EN-1948 using fly ashes.
The analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) present in stack gas emissions and solid residues from incinerators will be mandatory in the foreseeable future. European standard EN-1948 is in the process of being updated through the addition of a new Part 4 related to the analysis of the 12 dl-PCBs. Therefore, either a comprehensive and reliable method capable of analyzing all of these 29 compounds (12 dl-PCBs and 17 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs) needs to be developed, or the existing PCDD/F analytical procedure must be adapted to include the dl-PCBs. This study has taken the latter approach of modifying PCDD/F methodology and in particular the fractionation step, by isolating dioxins and dl-PCBs into separate fractions ready for high resolution gas chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) analysis. Results obtained from the analysis of Certified Reference Materials (CRM-490 and CRM-615) and fly ashes from the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) intercalibration study demonstrated that the proposed methodology is appropriate to determine the dl-PCBs in accordance with the impending European standard EN-1948. Uncertainty values obtained during the validation of the analytical methodology were 13% total I-TEQ (International Toxic Equivalent) for PCDD/Fs and 31% total WHO-TEQ (World Health Organization Toxic Equivalent) in the case of dl-PCBs. In addition, 'real' samples such as emissions and fly ashes were successfully analyzed following the proposed analytical method.
Martínez
K
K
Laboratory of Dioxins, Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
Rivera-Austrui
J
J
Adrados
M A
MA
Abalos
M
M
Llerena
J J
JJ
van Bavel
B
B
Rivera
J
J
Abad
E
E
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D060729:Coal Ash; D005062:European Union; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000737:chemistry*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001572:Benzofurans; D060729:Coal Ash; D052638:Particulate Matter; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D002244:Carbon; C023614:dibenzofuran; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls