On-line real-time measurements at incineration plants: PAHs and a PCDD/F surrogate compound at stationary combustion conditions and during transient emission puffs

Laser mass spectrometry has been applied for on-line monitoring of traces o f aromatic compounds from flue gas of incineration plants. The experiments have been carried out at two sampling sites in an industrial hazardous-wast e incinerator. With laser mass spectrometry resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) (REMPI-TOF MS), using the group selective multi-component monitoring approach, aromati c compounds are selectively ionized From the complex flue-gas matrix. In th is case, the result of an REMPI-TOFMS on-line measurement is a distinct pat tern of aromatic compounds. These patterns are dependent on: (i) the point of measurement, (ii) the incineration plant, (iii) the temperature, and (iv ) the fuel. This contribution focuses on the fuel dependence of the pattern . The most transient behavior can be observed when containers filled with h azardous waste are burnt, leading to puffs. Real-time monitoring results of puffs are given. Furthermore, as an approach towards on-line monitoring of the TEQ (PCDD/F toxicity equivalent), REMPI-TOFMS on-line analysis results of chlorobenzene are presented. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.