Biomass burning — a review of organic tracers for smoke from incomplete combustion

Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in the United Kingdom environment: a preliminary source inventory and budget.

Chlorodibenzo-p-dioxins and chlorodibenzofurans are trace components of fly ash and flue gas of some municipal incinerators in The Netherlands

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) consist of three or more fused benzene rings in linear, angular, or cluster arrangements. Substitution of carbon in the benzene ring with nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, or other elements creates heterocyclic aromatic compounds (Blumer 1976). Excluding diphenyl types there are some 70 possible isomers of 4-6 fused rings. Additionally these isomers may be substituted by a variety of substituents (Erskine and Whitehead 1975). The aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocycles, unsubstituted and substituted, are referred to alternatively as polynuclear aromatics (PNAs), polycyclic aromatic compounds (PCAs), and polycyclic organic matter (POM) (NAS 1972, U.S. EPA 1975 b).

Fate of polynuclear aromatic compounds (PNAs) in soil-plant systems

Occurrence and possible sources of perylene in marine sediments-a review☆

Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, formed by the incomplete combustion of municipal refuse in a continuous feed incinerator, are released into the environment in the ash waste from the incinerator. In addition they are discharged in both the stack gases and wastewaters from the plant. The balance between the three emission modes is discussed in relation to combustion conditions and incinerator operation.

Ian W. Davies

Papers

Municipal incinerator as source of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in environment