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Identification and quantification of polynuclear organic matter (POM) on particulates from a coal-fired power plant

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6041663

In Part I of this work, stack ash was compared with electrostatic precipitator hopper ash (ESP ash) and 0 to 3.3 ..mu..m sized fraction of the latter to determine if ESP could be used to predict the identities of constituents, particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), adsorbed on stack ash. Physical and elemental comparison of stack ash with gross and sized ESP ash suggested that the sized ESP ash was a better model of stack ash. Chemical characterization of the stack and sized ESP ash indicated a strong adsorptivity for aromatics paralleling PAH ring size. The benzene extracts of the ashes contained a series of n-paraffins, and the sized ESP ash contained approximately four times more than the stack ash. Only a brief examination of the PAH content was possible with the small amounts of ash available and the trace (ng/g) levels of PAHs present, but the results suggested that the sized ESP ash was similar in PAH content to the stack ash. The sized ESP ash appears to be useful as a qualitative, but not quantitative, surrogate for constituents adsorbed on stack ash. Further studies should include an investigation of the gas phase constituents. Additional studies in Part II led to the separation and characterization of multialkylated PAHs from a coal liquefaction product. The findings of significant microbial mutagenesis for these PAH derivatives led to a more detailed examination of PAHs in ESP hopper ash. PAHs with 3 and 4 rings plus simple alkyl or phenyl substitution predominated in a PAH isolate from the ash, but very few multialkylated PAHs were observed. Sub-ng/g levels of PAHs were measured.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
OSTI ID:
6041663
Report Number(s):
EPRI-EA-1095
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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