On-line measurement of chlorobenzene in waste incineration flue gas as a surrogate for the emission of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (I-TEQ) using mobile resonance laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Mobile resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization time-of-flight mass spectr ometry (REMPI-TOFMS) was applied for on-line detection of surrogates for po lychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/F) in the flue gas of an indus trial hazardous waste incineration plant (thermal power: 22 MW). Convention al gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) measurements have been perf ormed to establish an indicator relation between the best suited surrogate (monochlorobenzene) and the PCDD/F concentration in the flue gas (measured in international toxicity equivalents, I-TEQ), The indicator relation allow s the estimation of the actual PCDD/F emission from the on-line registered MCBz signal. Furthermore, several other aromatic components have been measu red on-line. During transient instabilities of the combustion conditions, e ,g, due to barrel uptake, highly dynamic changes in the emission profiles o f substituted benzenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were obse rved. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.