AIRBORNE CHLORINATED DIOXINS AND FURANS IN A PULP AND PAPER-MILL

The concentrations of airborne 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans measured at a pulp and paper mill ranged from 0.04 to 1.9 pg/m(3). The paper mill used softwood and hardwood pulp which was bleached with solely chlorine dioxide in the first chlorination stage. The chlorinated furans dominated in all samples, while very few dioxins were detected. No 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin was detected. The highest concentration was measured for 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzofuran, which was present in all samples. The toxic equivalent concentrations varied between 0.002 and 0.2 pg/mg(3) using the international toxic equivalency factors. The congener profile of a paper dust sample was similar to that of the corresponding air samples.