TeToxBeScheit – Technical and toxicological evaluation of emission reduction technologies used in small-scale wood log furnaces

Princinple investigator

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Georg Quicker, Unit of Technologies of Fuels, RWTH Aachen University

Principle investigators at the Goethe University

• Prof. Dr. Henner Hollert
• Dr. Sabrina Schiwy

Coordination at the Goethe University

• Marc Wollenweber M.Sc.

Project partners

• Dipl.-Ing. Daniel Wohter & Lisa Feikus M.Sc., Unit of Technologies of Fuels, RWTH Aachen University
• Dr. Manuel Garcia-Käufer, Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology, University Medical Center Freiburg
• Dr. Manfred Möller, Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University

Project webpage:   https://www.fnr.de/

Project description

The increasing use of renewable resources for bioenergy leads to the question of potential implications to human health and the environment. It is well known that emissions from wood smoke contain a complex mixture of compounds, which exert adverse effects on human health and ecosystems. Detailed information on wood smoke emissions are provided, but fail to evaluate whether emission reduction technologies supplied with small-scale wood log furnaces are sufficient to efficiently remove pollutants from exhaust gases. We aim to address this question within the TeToxBeScheit project.
TeToxBeScheit is a joint project between the Unit of Technologies of Fuels (TEER, RWTH Aachen University), the Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology (University Medical Center Freiburg), the Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine (University Hospital Aachen) and the Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology (E³T, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main) and is funded by Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V. (FNR). The main objectives are to (1) evaluate the technical efficiency of selected emission reduction technologies used in small-scale wood log furnaces and to (2) evaluate pre- and post-reduction emissions (gaseous and particulate phase) regarding relevant (eco)toxicological effects.
The subproject at E³T aims to evaluate emissions from small-scale wood log furnaces regarding ecotoxicological endpoints to provide information on potential impacts on the environment, with strong emphasis on aquatic ecosystems. Samples prepared from exhaust gases will be analyzed using a bioassay battery, which was successfully applied in the joint EU project SOLUTIONS. The bioassay battery accounts for the different trophic levels fish (Danio rerio, fish embryo toxicity, DIN EN ISO 15088, OECD 236), zooplankton (Daphnia magna, inhibition of mobility, DIN EN ISO 6341) and phytoplankton (Raphidocelis subcapitata, growth inhibition, DIN EN ISO 8692), as well as for various mode-of-action specific effects like endocrine (ER/AR CALUX^® assay, ISO 19040-3) and dioxin-like potentials (µEROD assay, EU 709/2014).
Our goal is to provide expert opinions on the efficiency of emission reduction technologies. Additionally, the data collected may be used by regulators to provide opinions on safer operation of small-scale wood log furnaces.