Abstract |
During the three week period October 20-November 7, 1975, ambient and stack sampling for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were conducted at a domestic incinerator in an effort to quantify the levels of PCB emissions associated with the incineration of domestic refuse. The stack sampling was performed at an incinerator equipped with an electrostatic precipitator using a modified EPA Method 5 sampling train. Xylene was used as the solvent for any gaseous PCBs present in the effluent. Ambient sampling was conducted, upwind and downwind of the incinerator, using hexane as the solvent in duplicate sets of three impingers in series. It was concluded that the particulate emissions contain PCBs; however, the amount emitted does not result in a measurable increase in existing ambient levels of PCB; the presence of PCBs in the vapor state could not be established because of contamination in the xylene used as the solvent; and the use of hexane as the absorbing reagent is appropriate for ambient sampling. |