Indicator parameters for PCDD/PCDF
Öberg, T., Bergström, J.
Miljökonsulterna, Report MKS-87/109, 1988.

Abstract
The emission and chlorination pattern of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) from combustion shows a close covariation with that of chlorinated benzenes and phenols. This covariation can be utilized to predict the emission levels of specific isomers as well as the pattern of congeners.

Relationships between different chlorinated aromatics, 41 isomers and groups of congeners, have been evaluated in 66 samples from various industrial activities.

The data evaluated does not support the use of filter sampling spikes for compensating analytical data.

The two principal factors contributing to the variation between samples are the amount in the sample and the chlorination pattern. Variation in the first factor can be described with simple linear regression models between different summed variables, e g sum of chlorinated benzenes. To describe covariation in the second factor, the chlorination pattern, isomerspecific analytical data must be added. These multivariate data can be evaluated with multiple linear regression or partial least squares modelling with latent variables (PLS).

The best methods to describe the total variation in the data are principal component analysis (PCA) and PLS. For municipal waste combustion PLS-modelling can explain 86% of the variance in PCDD/PCDF from isomerspecific analytical data for chlorinated benzenes and phenols.

The isomer-specific emission data fro chlorinated benzenes and phenols contain information, i e the chlorination pattern, about the separation efficiencies for organic micro-pollutants in flue gas cleaning systems. This makes it possible to predict accurately the amounts of PCDD/PCDF in flue gas samples collected after high efficiency flue gas cleaning systems as well.

The use of chlorinated benzenes and phenols as indicator parameters for PCDD/PCDF provides an inexpensive and versatile tool for process optimization and control of emission levels. Indicator parameters are also a feasible approach to control many other groups of potentially toxic halogenated aromatics, such as mixed halogenated (both chlorine and bromine) dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans.

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