Statistical evaluation of PCDD/F emission data during solid waste combustion by fuzzy clustering techniques.

An advanced statistical analysis technique using the fuzzy clustering method was employed in this work, for the evaluation of PCDD/F emissions during solid waste combustion. In addition, this technique was applied for the assessment of the effect of an inhibitor (urea) on the toxic compound releases and on the various isomer distributions. Municipal solid wastes were combusted in a lab-scale reactor and the toxic gas emissions were measured at the unit outlet. Combustion tests of urea-fuel mixtures were classified in the same group, indicating that urea affected the formation mechanisms of toxic gases. Combustion tests of single fuel were not included in the same group. Furthermore, urea ability to modify the gas emissions pathways was not affected by the method of its addition to the fuel.