title: Quality control for sampling of PCDD/PCDF emissions from open combustion sources.
abstract: Both long duration (>6h) and high temperature (up to 139°C) sampling efforts were conducted using ambient air sampling methods to determine if either high volume throughput or higher than ambient air sampling temperatures resulted in loss of target polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDDs/PCDFs) from a polyurethane foam (PUF) sorbent. Emissions from open burning of simulated military forward operating base waste were sampled using EPA Method TO-9A for 185 min duration using a filter/PUF/PUF in series combination. After a 54 m(3) sample was collected, the sampler was removed from the combustion source and the second PUF was replaced with a fresh, clean PUF. An additional 6h of ambient air sampling (171 m(3)) was conducted and the second PUF was analyzed to determine if the PCDD/PCDF transferred from the filter and the first PUF. Less than 4.4% of the initial PCDD/PCDF was lost to the second PUF. To assess the potential for blow off of PCDD/PCDF analytes during open air sampling, the mobility of spiked mono- to hepta-PCDD/PCDF standards across a PUF sorbent was evaluated from ambient air temperatures to 145°C with total volumes between 600 L and 2400 L. Lower molecular weight compounds and higher flow amounts increased release of the spiked standards consistent with vapor pressure values. At 600 L total sampled volume, the release temperature for 1% of the tetra-CDD (the lowest chlorinated homologue with a toxic compound) was 87°C; increasing the volume fourfold reduced this temperature to 73°C.
authors.affiliation: US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development (E343-04), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA. Gullett.brian@epa.gov
authors.forename: Brian K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Gullett
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tabor
authors.forename: Amelie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: Abderrahmane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Touati
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D017745:Incineration; D011786:Quality Control
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004147:Dioxins
keywords: Blow off; Open burning; PCDD/PCDF; Polyurethane foam; Quality control; Sampling