Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soot produced by combustion of polystyrene,polypropylene, and wood

The smoke and soot produced by the combustion of plastics or wood in a domestic stove or fireplace contain many poisonous compounds, including the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), many of which are carcinogenic. PAHs were selected as the subject of our study to gain a better sense of the hazards of burning plastics. Small samples of polystyrene, polypropylene, and wood underwent combustion in a tubular oven at 700°C; in addition, polystyrene and wood were combusted at room temperature. After their extraction and purification, the PAHs were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Conditions in the hot oven promoted soot production, whereas combustion at room temperature led to somewhat more complete combustion. The PAH profiles of the examined materials resembled each other to some extent, though the original chemical structure of the polymeric materials varied a great deal. However, clear differences between the materials could be detected from the soot extracts, the soot of polystyrene being especially rich in compounds containing remnants of the polymer structure. Carcinogenic activity caused by the PAHs can be assumed to be of the same order of magnitude as soot from the combustion of wood.