Principle component analysis of flue gas exhaust and health risk estimates for the population around a functional incinerator in the vicinity of Rawalpindi Pakistan

In this investigation, a long term monitoring of flue gas (FG) was performed, which was emerging from a point incinerator, situated in the vicinity of Rawalpindi city of Pakistan. It was aimed to analyze and correlate the spread of particulate matter, and that of exhaust gases in the surrounding residential areas. The study spanned three consecutive years of investigation. The principal component (PCA) and cluster analysis revealed two distinct groups of gasses from the exhaust i.e., CxHx, H2S, SO2 and CO and NOx, NO, NO2, and CO2 in PC 1 and 2, respectively. The distribution of Particulate matter 10 (PM10) remained constant over the period of three years. The concentration of PM10 remained higher than USEPA safe limits on all the sampling sites. PM10 on most of the sites correlated with the flue gasses emerging from the point source. The results indicate the influence of the flue gas exhaust on the surrounding environment, and a probable association with the public health.