Evaluation of the concentration of the toxic 2,3,6,7-tetrachlorobiphenylene in air after an electrical material fire.

It is known that when fires or explosions involve electrical systems, along with PCDDs and PCDFs, polychlorinated biphenylenes (PCBPs) are also produced. These chlorinated tricyclic aromatic pollutants were noticed in fire rubbles and after the World Trade Center destruction. However, the analytical difficulties in developing an efficient method have limited the knowledge of their environmental distribution.

Environmental impact of co-combustion of polyethylene wastes in a rice husks fueled plant: Evaluation of organic micropollutants and PM emissions.

Co-combustion of biomass and plastic waste has emerged as one of the most promising approach at the plastic waste management challenge. This strategy is particularly attractive since it can simultaneously solve the increasing energy demand and reduce the plastic wastes volume. However, since the combustion of both plastic wastes and natural materials is a potential source of organic micropollutants, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), beside particulate matter, the environmental sustainability of the waste to energy (WtE) co-combustion strategy has to be assessed.

Determination of 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene in industrial emission.

A method to measure the emissive concentration of 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (ENB), a reactive compound used in industrial synthesis of terpolymers, has been developed. The starting points for the development of the presented method are European and Italian reference methods for the quantification of nonreactive volatile organic compounds in industrial emission. In this study, sampling conditions and desorption solvent have been optimized in laboratory and the method was applied in an industrial plant.

Development of a new automated clean-up system for the simultaneous analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and 'dioxin-like' polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCB) in flue gas emissions by GPC-SPE.

A comprehensive clean-up method for quantitative analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans (PCDD/Fs) in one single extract of environmental samples was developed. Since the chemical nature and toxicity of planar PCBs are similar to those of PCDD/Fs, dioxin-like PCBs and PCDD/Fs are often surveyed together in their exposure assessments. The development of a method for the simultaneous analysis of PCBs and PCDD/Fs in environmental samples is invaluable.