ABSTRACT
Municipal incinerators and overheated polychlorinated biphenyls-filled transformers are examples of different sources of potentially large amounts of chlorinated dibenzofurans (CDFs) and/or chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs) produced by unknown combustion mechanisms. A significant difference was observed between incinerator effluent and building air with respect to the particulate/vapor phase distribution of CDFs. As a separate phase of the incinerator testing, an attempt was made to detect tetra-CDFs and CDDs in ambient air directly downwind of the incinerator. The building soot contained predominantly tetra-, penta- and hexa-CDFs; however, the concentration of the lighter tetra congeners was greatest in the air samples; thus it appears that these compounds may have volatilized from the soot into the building air. Very low concentrations of tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxins were detected in several building air samples. The ambient air sampling device used at Binghamton. Penta-CDFs were also detected in the building air.
