Chlorinated dioxins and dibenzothiophenes in fly ash samples from combustion of peat, wood chips, refuse derived fuel and liquid packaging boards

Peat, wood chips, refuse derived fuel and liquid packaging board in different combinations were burned at a temperature of at least 850 °C. Fly ash samples from these combustions were analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzothiophenes (PCDBTs) by high resolution GC/MS. The concentrations of tri- and tetrachlorodibenzothiophenes and tri-, tetra- and pentachlorodioxins were highest when mixtures of wood chips and refuse derived fuel (RDF) were burned. The fly ash from the combustion of pure peat pellets did not contain any polychlorinated dibenzothiophenes. When wood chips and RDF were burned the concentrations of chlorinated compounds in fly ash were found to increase with increasing concentration of chlorine in the fuel.