CHARACTERIZATION OF ORGANIC POLLUTANTS: MATRICES AND MEASUREMENTS.

This paper is concerned with sampling and characterization of processing streams in plants converting coal into liquid fuels with particular emphasis on organic chemicals polluting environment. The samples which may be presented to the laboratory are: solid (particulates, residues, suspended solids), aqueous liquid (homogeneous, heterogeneous), organic liquid, free gas, and sorbed vapors. The samples may be in a solid matrix such as particulates from stack sampling, residues such as char or ash from the gasifier itself, or suspended solids in the liquid effluent. The aqueous liquid samples may be effluent from various parts of the processes and they may be either homogeneous liquids or heterogeneous liquids. Separation procedures. as well as instrumental analysis used for pollutant characterization are discussed in some detail. Types of pollutants which may be present in process streams are listed.