Reduction of Dioxins and Furans Emission in Air and Soil Samples after Renovation Works at Ararat Dumpsite

Abstract

Due to the lack of sanitary landfills in Armenia, general unseparated wastes are disposed to dumpsites. Then in order to reduce their amounts and volumes uncontrolled burning of wastes occurs. As known, low-temperature burning of waste generates emissions of unintentionally produced dioxins and furans. At the selected pilot dumpsite of Ararat (Republic of Armenia) renovation works were performed, then followed infrastructure development, as well as implementation of best available technique and best environmental practice. The paper deals with data obtained through 2 monitoring campaigns, including analyses of samples of air and soil taken at the dumpsite area before and after renovation works. For PCDDs/PCDFs determination passive sampling was arranged and done using passive samplers installed at the selected site of Ararat urban dumpsite before and after renovation works. Collection of samples was done for the evaluation of the environmental situation (2 monitoring campaigns). The samples were analysed for PCDD/PCDFs at the laboratory of RECETOX (Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic) as an external laboratory. The entire procedure was executed in accordance to SOP provided by the RECETOX. Considering findings of the First and Second Monitoring Campaigns, we identified some sampling points that can be compared. Thus, air samples 10001, 10002 and 10003 can be compared with 20001, 20002 and 20003 accordingly. The following observations were done. For air samples decrease of PCDDs/PCDFs concentration made from 28 to 65 times. For soil samples PCDDs/PCDFs concentration decreased 304-393 times.