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Products from laboratory chlorination of fly ash from a municipal incinerator

Journal Article · · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00095a013· OSTI ID:5611437

Fly ash samples from a municipal incinerator were treated at 200 and 300 /sup 0/C with chlorine gas for 1 h. Changes in composition of organic compounds in the samples were determined by using GC and GC/MS analysis of benzene extracts. Chlorination of fly ash produced a series of highly chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons including hexachlorobenzene, decachlorobiphenyl, and nonachlorobiphenyl. Tentative identifications are also listed for other compounds with the following proposed molecular formulas: C/sub 7/HOCl/sub 5/, C/sub 6/H/sub 3/O/sub 2/Cl/sub 3/, C/sub 8/Cl/sub 8/, and C/sub 12/H/sub 4/O/sub 3/Cl/sub 6/ (or C/sub 13/H/sub 8/O/sub 2/Cl/sub 6/). Production of some of these compounds is dependent upon chlorination of benzene-soluble-nonvolatile precursor which was present naturally in this fly ash. These results show that fly ash from municipal incinerators may undergo gas phase-particulate reactions under conditions of high temperature with a source of chlorine and that such reactions lead to the production of chlorinated organic compounds at trace concentration levels.

Research Organization:
New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces
OSTI ID:
5611437
Journal Information:
Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 16:1; ISSN ESTHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English