Emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans from a heavy oil-fueled power plant in northern Taiwan

We measured the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) from the flue gas and the ambient atmosphere of a power plant fueled by heavy oil in northern Taiwan. The mean emission concentration and I-TEQ concentration of total PCDD/Fs were 0.292 ng/N m3 and 0.016 ng I-TEQ/N m3, respectively. All PCDD/F emission concentrations in the flue gas were supposed to meet the Environmental Protection Administration Executive Yuan, R.O.C. standard (1.0 ng I-TEQ/N m3 from 2008). Furthermore, the mean I-TEQ concentration in the ambient atmosphere was 0.011 pg I-TEQ/N m3, which was much lower than the environmental quality standards for dioxins in Japan (0.6 pg TEQ/N m3). Also, the PCDD/F emission factor was 0.188 ng I-TEQ/L fuel, which was comparable to the data issued in US EPA [EPA, Locating and estimating air emissions from sources of dioxins and furans, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Research Triangle Park, NC, DCN No. 95-298130-54-01, 1997] (0.2 ng I-TEQ/L of fuel). Also, the result of the correlations of PCDD/Fs and operational parameters illustrated that the positively significant correlation (r = 0.502, p = 0.048) was found only between PCDD/Fs (I-TEQ) and the flue gas emission temperature (125-157 °C). However, PCDD-TEQ/PCDF-TEQ ratios were statistically significantly associated with the decreased flue gas flow (r = −0.659, p = 0.006), moisture (r = −0.612, p = 0.012) and flue gas temperature (r = −0.503, p = 0.047). For proper environmental management of dioxins, it is necessary to establish a complete emission inventory of PCDD/Fs, and, in particular, the government should pay more attention to power plants to address the information shortage.