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Polychlorinated dibenzofurans have been prepared in one step by the condensations of o-chloranil with arenes in triflic acid. A mechanism is proposed involving formation of a monoprotonated quinone (carboxonium ion), electrophilic attack at the arene, and cyclization of a carbocation intermediate. The chemistry is further examined by spectroscopic and theoretical studies.

The 38 positional isomers of tetrachlorodibenzofuran have been synthesized by pyrolysis of specific polychlorinated biphenyl congeners, ultraviolet photolysis of pentachlorodibenzofurans, and chlorination of trichlorodibenzofurans by aromatic substitution.The specificity of these reactions in combinatiuon with capillary column gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection has allowed each of these isomers to be identified based on their relative elution order.

Microbial adsorption of 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (1,2,3,4-TCDD) and various polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) was investigated in an effort to determine the significance of microorganisms as potential agents in transferring the molecules in the environment. The microorganisms used in this study were cultivated under low nutrient conditions for 2 months. The increase and decrease of 1,2,3,4-TCDD and PCDFs in the samples were measured by GC/MS. The peak of dibenzofuran (DBF), added as an internal standard, was compared with the peaks of 1,2,3,4-TCDD and PCDFs. The results showed that the dead biomass of microorganisms could remove these molecules from the medium more effectively than live cells. The subsequent studies suggested that the removal of the molecules be concerned with the unknown biocompound(s) of which secretion is pronounced at high temperature. UV-VIS spectrometry was used to monitor the change in the concentration of biocompound(s).

Combustion experiments in a laboratory-scale fluidized-bed reactor were performed to elucidate the role of copper chloride in formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) during model waste incineration. The amounts of PCDDs and PCDFs formed, the homologue profiles, and the isomer distributions were measured in the flue gas from incineration of model wastes containing various levels of copper. A correlation was found between the Cu content of the waste and the proportion of each congener. An increase in copper enhanced the formation of certain congeners, showing that copper acts as a catalyst for formation of PCDDs and PCDFs. An increase in the copper content of the waste decreased the CO concentration in the flue gas and reduced the formation of PCDDs and PCDFs during incineration. This indicates that copper also works as an oxidation catalyst to promote combustion, leading to lower concentrations of products of incomplete combustion. It is indispensable to consider both roles of the catalyst, i.e., enhancement and suppression, in the formation of PCDDs and PCDFs during waste incineration, which are estimated separately from the isomer distributions and the amounts of PCDDs and PCDFs formed.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of variation in combustion conditions on the primary formation of organic micropollutants (OMPs). The flue gas samples were taken at a relatively high flue gas temperature (650°C), to enable mechanistic studies on the high temperature formation (primary formation). Eleven experiments were performed in a laboratory scale fluidized bed reactor fed with an artificial municipal solid waste (MSW). The samples were analyzed for mono- to octachlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (CDDs/Fs), tri- to decachlorinated biphenyls (CBs), di- to hexachlorinated benzenes (CBzs), and di- to pentachlorinated phenols (CPhs). In addition to chlorinated OMPs, nonchlorinated dibenzo-p- dioxin (DD), dibenzofuran (DF), and biphenyl (BP) were analyzed. The experiments show that variations in the CE influence the degree of chlorination of the organic micropollutants. A correlation between low CE and formation of non- and low-chlorinated DMPs was seen and a distinct relationship of higher chlorinated homologues and efficient combustion condition. Thus, the DiCDFs and DiCBzs are formed during low combustion efficiency (CE), while the PeCDF and PeCBzs formation take place at higher CE. The distribution between primary and secondary air is important for the formation of higher CDD/Fs and CBzs. The primary formation of CDDs and CDFs is through different mechanisms. The CDDs are mainly formed by condensation of CPhs, while the CDFs are formed through a non- or a low-chlorinated precursor followed by further chlorination reactions.

The natural formation of 4-MCP, 24/25- and 26-DCP, and 245-TrCP was detected in four selected areas of a rural Douglas fir forest where the humic layer was spiked in situ with a solution of Na37Cl and covered by an enclosure, after 1 year of incubation. Chlorinated phenols (CP) can be formed naturally from organic matter and inorganic chloride by either de novo synthesis or chloroperoxidase (CPO)-catalyzed chlorination. The natural CP congeners were found to be present in high concentrations in soil compared to the other congeners, except for 245-TrCP which was present in a relatively low concentration. This study did not reveal which source, natural or anthropogenic, caused the observed concentrations. Some 20 chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (CDD/F) were found to be formed naturally in soil of the Douglas fir forest; the formation of three 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners, 2378-TeCDD, 12378-PeCDD, and 123789-HxCDD, deserves special attention. A formation mechanism has been proposed which starts from naturally formed CP congeners and which probably involves peroxidase mediation. Chlorination of CDD/F congeners by the CPO-mediated reaction cannot be ruled out, but seems to be less likely due to the absence of several predicted congeners. The natural formation of 4-MCP, 24/25- and 26-DCP, and 245-TrCP was detected in four selected areas of a rural Douglas fir forest where the humic layer was spiked in situ with a solution of Na37Cl and covered by an enclosure, after 1 year of incubation. Chlorinated phenols (CP) can be formed naturally from organic matter and inorganic chloride by either de novo synthesis or chloroperoxidase (CPO)-catalyzed chlorination. The natural CP congeners were found to be present in high concentrations in soil compared to the other congeners, except for 245-TrCP which was present in a relatively low concentration. This study did not reveal which source, natural or anthropogenic, caused the observed concentrations. Some 20 chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (CDD/F) were found to be formed naturally in soil of the Douglas fir forest; the formation of three 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners, 2378-TeCDD, 12378-PeCDD, and 123789-HxCDD, deserves special attention. A formation mechanism has been proposed which starts from naturally formed CP congeners and which probably involves peroxidase mediation. Chlorination of CDD/F congeners by the CPO-mediated reaction cannot be ruled out, but seems to be less likely due to the absence of several predicted congeners.

Polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) are known to be emitted from municipal waste incinerators (MWIs) with polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs). Two formation paths for PCDD/Fs could mainly work, which are condensation of the precursors such as chlorophenols and 'de novo' formation from carbon. However the correlation between the chemical structure of carbon and the resulting PCDD/Fs still remains unknown. In this study, the PCDD/Fs formation from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and CuCl was examined at 400 under 10% O2. Coronene among the PAHs characteristically gave 1,2,8,9-T4CDF and the derivatives. These isomers clearly indicate that chlorination causes the cleavage of the C-C bonds in a coronene molecule and also that oxygen is easily incorporated from its outside to form 1,2,8,9-T4CDF. The symmetrical preformed structures in the coronene molecule enabled to amplify the de novo formation of the isomer. PCNs are also formed directly from these PAHs. Since there have been few reports on the formation mechanism of PCNs, this study will be a first step to know the whole formation paths. We also define the de novo synthesis as the breakdown reaction of a carbon matrix, since the word has been used without the precise definition.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) emitted from municipal waste incinerators appear to have a chlorination pattern that is quite constant across various samples and conditions. This suggested that these patterns may be controlled by thermodynamic properties of the individual PCDD/F congeners, such as the free Gibbs energy of formation (Δg°(f,T)). This would make prediction of the isomer composition of a particular sample (and hence its TEQ value) possible, based on values of ΔG°(f,T). A laboratory scale study was carried out with activated carbon on fly ash as the source of PCDD/F formation. Although it was found that the isomer distributions within homologues were independent of the reaction time (proof of thermodynamic control), other observations (lack of equilibrium/isomerization between isomers and lack of similarity between isomer distributions measured and predicted by ΔG°(f,T)) contradicted the possibility of thermodynamic control. Hence, this study could not confirm that de novo formation of PCDD/F could explain thermodynamically controlled isomer distributions in incinerators. Some recommendations for further work- time-based studies with precursors, isomerization studies with single congeners, and more data on ΔG°(f,T) values of PCDD/F-were made. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) emitted from municipal waste incinerators appear to have a chlorination pattern that is quite constant across various samples and conditions. This suggested that these patterns may be controlled by thermodynamic properties of the individual PCDD/F congeners, such as the free Gibbs energy of formation (ΔG°f,T). This would make prediction of the isomer composition of a particular sample (and hence its TEQ value) possible, based on values of ΔG°f,T. A laboratory scale study was carried out with activated carbon on fly ash as the source of PCDD/F formation. Although it was found that the isomer distributions within homologues were independent of the reaction time (proof of thermodynamic control), other observations (lack of equilibrium/isomerization between isomers and lack of similarity between isomer distributions measured and predicted by ΔG°f,T) contradicted the possibility of thermodynamic control. Hence, this study could not confirm that de novo formation of PCDD/F could explain thermodynamically controlled isomer distributions in incinerators. Some recommendations for further work - time-based studies with precursors, isomerization studies with single congeners, and more data on ΔG°f,T values of PCDD/F - were made.