Direct observation of the formation of aromatic pollutants in waste incineration flue gases by on-line REMPI-TOFMS laser mass spectrometry

On-line REMPI-TOFMS laser mass spectrometry (Resonance Enhanced Multi-Photo n Ionization - Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry) was used to monitor combus tion and pyrolysis byproducts from industrial combustion processes, includi ng polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and monochlorobenzene in the flue gas of an industrial 22 MW hazardous waste incineration plant. Sampling at different places in the flue gas stream revealed the complexity of the pro cesses responsible for the formation of the different chemical species, whi le time resolved measurements depicted the emission dynamics.