LEVELS OF COPLANAR PCB IN FLUE-GASES OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE PROCESSES AND THEIR OCCURRENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL-SAMPLES

Coplanar PCB (IUPAC nrs. 77, 126 and 169) have been determined in samples of flue gases and solid wastes from high-temperature processes, and soils and sediment. TEQ-levels of coplanar PCB present have been compared with those of PCDD/PCDF in the samples. It is found that, while in the flue gas samples coplanar PCB contribute less than 100% to the total TEQ level, soils and sediment may contain higher levels (up to 30% of the total TEQ for the samples analyzed). Moreover the pattern of PCB in the samples from high-temperature processes apparently differs considerably from that in the soils and sediment, in which PCB 77 constitutes >70% of the coplanar PCB.