Analysis by u.v.-visible extinction spectroscopy of exhausts emitted by engines and stationary burners

In recent years, the analysis and control of pollutant emissions have become increasingly important issues. Many epidemiological studies have established worrying implications on human health of gases and aerosols emitted from combustion sources [1-4]. The most common techniques of simultaneous measurements of NOx, SO2, NH3 and soot concentrations at the exhaust of different combustion systems are based on sampling methods. Many techniques have been developed for measuring real-time gas-phase species concentrations, while the majority of chemical analysis methods for particles relies on filter collection, which requires a sampling time that precludes time-resolved measures. The optical technique, described in this paper, is suitable for simultaneous and real-time monitoring and characterization of the solid and gaseous phase, emitted by different combustion systems. This technique is based on the detection and spectral analysis of light absorbed in the ultraviolet-visible range. The exhausts of two combustion systems, i.c. engines and a stationary burner, have been analyzed. In each case, the extinction spectra of the exhausts produced by different fuels have been studied.