Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and mutagenicity of soot particulates in air emissions from two-stage incineration of polystyrene

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and mutagenicity of particulates from incineration of polystyrene were analyzed by GC/MSD and TA-98 Ames test, respectively. The results of this investigation indicate that a critical temperature exists of 1000 °C-1100 °C in the stage- two incinerator for the formation of PAHs and soot particulates. The major precursor of PAHs formation (i.e., C₆H₆) is produced in large amounts in nitrogen atmosphere when the stage-two temperature rises to 900 °C. The mutagenicity of particulates and polyurethane foam (PUF) extracts increased as the pyrolysis temperature was increased from 900 to 1200 °C. The mutagenicity of PUF extracts is weaker than the muta- genicity of particulates extracts. Moreover, the mutagenicity of samples is much higher in the presence of rat liver microsomal fraction (S9 mixture) than in its absence.