POP emissions from a large sinter plant in Taranto (Italy) over a five-year period following enforcement of new legislation.
PCDD/F in exhaust gas emission samples was determined by the Environmental Agency of Apulia for a sinter plant located in Taranto (Italy) starting from June 2007 following an Agreement Act between plant owners and the Regional Government with the aim to assess and improve the environmental performances of the plant. The first two sampling campaigns yielded results ranging between 3.42 and 8.34 ng I-TE/Nm(3) that were soon considered revelatory of a high potential impact on the surrounding environment and the public, prompting for immediate action. As a first outcome, a Regional Regulation (LR 44/2008) was enforced in order to reduce PCDD/F emissions by plants operating in the metal sector, including sinter plants. After installation of a urea addition plant to the sinter mix as a process-integrated abatement technique the emissions ranged from 0.86 to 3.59 ng I-TE/Nm(3). In order to reach compliance to the newly introduced emission limit value of 0.4 ng I-TE/Nm(3) the urea plant was removed in favour of active-carbon injection as an end-of-pipe technique. Subsequently, during year 2011 emission values ranged from 0.095 to 1.97 ng I-TE/Nm(3), while in 2012 the observed range was 0.058 to 0.91 ng I-TE/Nm(3). As a better evaluation of the potential impact of the sinter plant emissions, a yearly mass-flow was estimated using exhaust gas PCDD/F concentrations and plant operational parameters (3.4 M Nm(3)/h). Mass-flow was estimated to be as high as 165 g I-TE/year for 2007 using yearly average concentrations or 248 g I-TE/year using the peak-value of 8.34 ng I-TE/Nm(3).
ARPA PUGLIA, Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia, Department of Taranto, Via Anfiteatro 8, 74100 Taranto, Italy. Electronic address: v.esposito@arpa.puglia.it.
Vittorio
V
Esposito
ARPA PUGLIA, Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia, Department of Taranto, Via Anfiteatro 8, 74100 Taranto, Italy.
Annamaria
A
Maffei
ARPA PUGLIA, Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia, Department of Taranto, Via Anfiteatro 8, 74100 Taranto, Italy.
Donato
D
Bruno
ARPA PUGLIA, Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia, Department of Taranto, Via Anfiteatro 8, 74100 Taranto, Italy.
Berenice
B
Varvaglione
ARPA PUGLIA, Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia, Department of Taranto, Via Anfiteatro 8, 74100 Taranto, Italy.
Salvatore
S
Ficocelli
ARPA PUGLIA, Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia, Department of Lecce, Via Miglietta 2, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
Carmelo
C
Capoccia
ARPA PUGLIA, Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia, Department of Taranto, Via Anfiteatro 8, 74100 Taranto, Italy.
Maria
M
Spartera
ARPA PUGLIA, Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia, Corso Trieste 27, 70126 Bari, Italy.
Roberto
R
Giua
ARPA PUGLIA, Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia, Corso Trieste 27, 70126 Bari, Italy.
Massimo
M
Blonda
ARPA PUGLIA, Environmental Protection Agency of Apulia, Corso Trieste 27, 70126 Bari, Italy.
Giorgio
G
Assennato
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D058735:Environmental Policy; D007558:Italy; D008669:Metallurgy; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins
Abatement techniques; Dioxin; Integrated steelworks; Legislation; Sinter plant; Stack emissions