Emission of PCDD/Fs from combustion of pine needles and pine cones in a residential stove

Abstract

Combustion of pine needles and pine cones in a residential stove was performed to assess potential emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) from house fires and forest fires. In order to know the level of pollutants in the samples themselves, analyses of PCDD/Fs in the materials used were made. The PCDD/F content found in pine needles was 0.66 ng I-TEQ/kg, while for pine cones a lower value of 0.33 ng I-TEQ/kg was obtained. In the combustion experiment a high value of dioxins and furans was obtained, 196 ng I-TEQ/kg material burnt. The homologue profiles of PCDD/Fs showed differences between the materials and the flue gas emissions. The results obtained show that this kind of uncontrolled combustion is an important source of dioxins and furans.