Contribution of the Incinerator to the Inorganic Composition of the PM10 Collected in Turin

Abstract

Modern incinerator plants are equipped with an efficient system for the removal of pollutants and, hence, the gas and particle emissions are generally extremely low. However, it is possible that malfunctions, together with specific meteorological conditions, temporarily cause significant emissions. In this study, the evolution of the inorganic composition of PM10 samples collected in the vicinity of the Turin incinerator before and after its commissioning was assessed. The purpose was to identify the PM sources present in the area, and to evaluate if the operation of the incinerator caused an increase of the concentration of some species. Significant differences were registered among the composition of samples collected in 2012 and 2014, as the latter year was characterized by higher concentrations of Al, As, Ba, Ca, K, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn. Considering the position of the incinerator and of the monitoring station, it seems that this increment was not directly caused by the plant emissions. The most probable source of these elements is the highway vehicular traffic, which might have increased due to the travelling of trucks carrying wastes to the incinerator. However, a direct contribution deriving from the incinerator emissions cannot be excluded.