New Developments in Long-term Sampling of Dioxins

Introduction

The emissions of Dioxins and Furans (Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins and Dibenzofurans, PCDF/Ds) from industrial sources are still one of the most important issues discussed in public, politics and industry. Due to the fact that environmental regulations are on the way to be harmonised in the EU countries, the measurements of those compounds in the stack gas of e. g. waste incinerators will increase. All EU countries now have a stack discharge limit of 0.1 ng TEQ/m³N for hazardous waste incinerators, several countries have this limit for municipal waste incinerators as well.

PCDF/D stack gas samplings at stationary sources are usually performed using a sampling train according to EN 1948, part 1. This allows sampling times between 6 to 8 hours which are also needed to achieve acceptable detection limits in the laboratory GC/MS analysis which follows after collection of the flue gas samples. Usually, 3 samplings are performed at a source during one year.

There often is public concern about the dioxin emissions during the remaining time of about 1,800 hours per year and source. Additionally, the German legislation is demanding the minimisation of dioxin emissions and it also requires to use a long-term measuring system as soon as it is available. Meanwhile, several plants have installed such a system not only in Germany but in other EU countries as well.