PCDD/F concentrations in soil and vegetation in the vicinity of a municipal waste incinerator after a pronounced decrease in the emissions of PCDD/Fsfrom the facility
Jl. Domingo et al., PCDD/F concentrations in soil and vegetation in the vicinity of a municipal waste incinerator after a pronounced decrease in the emissions of PCDD/Fsfrom the facility, CHEMOSPHERE, 43(2), 2001, pp. 217-226
Emission of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PC
DFs) by municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWI) is an issue of great conc
ern. In 1997, an adaptation to the EU legislation on pollutant emissions fr
om the stack was carried out in an MSWI from Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain).
As a result, PCDD/F emissions were significantly reduced. The aim of this s
tudy was to determine the current levels of PCDD/Fs in soil and vegetation
samples collected near the facility and to compare these levels with those
obtained in previous surveys (1996 and 1997). In the period 1997-1999, PCDD
/F concentrations in vegetation samples were significantly decreased (60%).
By contrast, the levels of PCDD/Fs in soil samples increased slightly (14%
, P > 0.05) during the same period. An exhaustive analysis of the present d
ata indicates that other emission sources of PCDD/Fs have also a notable en
vironmental impact on the area under direct influence of the MSWI. (C) 2001
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