[Concentration, profile distribution and source identification of PCDD/Fs in environmental medium around a HSWI]

The concentration and profiles of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in the environmental air, soil and plant samples around a hospital solid waste incinerator (HSWI) in Northwest of China were determined by HRGC/HRMS, and the flue gas samples of the HSWI were also involved. The results showed that the average concentration (I-TEQ) of PCDD/Fs in the exhaust gas was 184 ng x m(-3), which seriously exceeds the emission standard (0.5 ng x m(-3)). And the average concentration of PCDD/ Fs was 7.30 pg x m(-3) in the ambient air samples, 52.5 pg x g(-1) in the soil samples, and 146 pg x g(-1) in the leaves samples. All of them were at quite high levels. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs in air samples of downwind were obviously higher than those of upwind. The concentration increased and then decreased with the increase of distance from the HSWI, and the highest concentration occurred at the distance of 700 m from the HSWI. The mass concentration (I-TEQ) proportional distributions of 2, 3, 7, 8 substitution toxic dioxins in downwind air and soil samples was similar to those in the exhaust gas samples. The analysis results of PCDD/Fs concentrations, profiles distributions and principal components all showed that the major source of PCDD/Fs in this area was from the HSWI flue gas emissions.