Identification and quantification of thiaarenes in the flue gas of lignite-fired domestic heating

Lignite briquettes with different sulfur contents were burned in a common t ype of domestic heating system. The levels of polycyclic aromatic sulfur he terocycles (PASH, thiaarenes) and their alkylated and phenylated derivative s in the flue gas were determined. The analytical method described comprise s isokinetic sampling, GC/full scan-MS for screening analysis, HPLC/wavelen gth programmable fluorescence detection (selected PAHs used as internal sta ndards for GC), GC/atomic emission detection or GC/pulsed flame photometric detection (sulfur-selective detection of thiaarenes), GC/high resolution M S (verification and quantification of thiaarenes), and the determination of the gas chromatographic retention indices. In total 57 thiaarene species ( individual compounds if possible and groups of isomeric compounds such as a lkylated/phenylated species) were identified, their retention indices deter mined, and quantified as flue gas emission concentrations. Not only thiophe ne-related thiaarenes but also species with two sulfur atoms in the molecul e (e.g. thienothiophene derivatives) were found. The thiaarene emission pat tern is discussed, as is the correlation between the thiaarene emissions an d the sulfur content of the different briquette types burned.