Dioxin like compounds from municipal waste incinerator emissions: assessment of the presence of polychlorinated naphthalenes

Polychloronaphthalenes (PCN) were identified and quantified in emission samples collected from five different municipal waste incinerators (MWI). Polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDF) were also determined to find a possible relationship between these classes of organochlorinated compounds. The analyses of PCDD/PCDF and PCN were carried out by high resolution gas chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry using a positive electron ionization source and operating in the selected ion monitoring analyzer mode (HRGC-HRMS/EI(+)-SIM). The total levels of PCN varied from 1.08 up to 21.36 ng/Nm3 (mono- to octachlorinated) and 0.33 to 5.72 ng/Nm3 (tetra- to octachlorinated), whereas the levels of PCDD/PCDF ranged between 1.14 and 276.26 ng/Nm3 (0.01 and 5 ng I-TEQ/Nm3), depending on the type of the MWI. These findings do not corroborate a PCN and PCDD/PCDF correlation.