Estimation Inventories of Persistent Organic Pollutants from Rice Straw Combustion as an Agricultural Waste

Rice cultivation stands as the primary agricultural activity in Asia, generating a substantial amount of agricultural waste. Unfortunately, this waste is often disposed of through burning, contributing to severe environmental, health and climate issues. This study presents the characterization of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PAHs. The emissions were quantified using a fixed-grid-system biomass plant and measuring the macro-pollutants online and sampling the organic micro-pollutants and metals in isokinetic mode, followed by ISO and CEN standards methods. Additionally, the role of agrochemicals was monitored in terms of metal catalysis resulting in POP emissions. This study provides the comprehensive characterization of the most relevant groups of pollutants (metals, PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PAHs) resulting from agricultural waste combustion. Prominent catalytic metals quantified were Cu (22–48 µg/Nm3) and Fe (78–113 µg/Nm3). Rice straw samples from AJK exhibited higher values of organochlorine micro-pollutants compared to those from Punjab and Sindh, i.e., ∑PCDD/F (2594 > 1493 > 856 pg/Nm3) and ∑PCB (41 > 38 > 30 pg/Nm3), respectively, whereas the organic micro-pollutants ∑c-PAH, indicators of incomplete combustion (PICs), were recorded high in the samples from Sindh followed by Punjab and AJK. The average EF is 100 pg/kg, 2.2 pg/kg and 1053.6 µg/kg for ∑PCDD/F, ∑PCB and ∑c-PAH. This study supports the idea that the phenomena leading to the formation of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds are influenced not only by poor combustion but also by the presence of metal catalysts in the burned fuel.