Emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with particulate matter from a coal-fired power plant in vietnam

Abstract

Integrated samples of particulate matter have been taken iso-kinetically from the flue gas of Bai Bang thermal coal-fired power plant using glass fibre filters. The samples have been Soxhlet extracted with CH2CI2 and analysed by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC/FLD) and/or gas chromatography with mass spectrometer detection (GC/MS). Anthracene, benzo[a]anthacene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, chrysene and benzo[a]pyrene, have been all present on the particulate matter, and the quantification of the latter five have yielded concentrations of 12.1, 6.3, 4.8, 3.0, 0.20 ng/m3 at normal conditions, emission factors of 111, 57, 43, 27, 2 ng/kg coal, and emission rates of 2207, 1122, 847, 535, 38 μg/h, respectively. The obtained concentrations, emission factors, as well as recoveries have been reduced with increased molecular weight of individual PAHs compounds.