Dioxins and furans are undesired by-products that occur during certain processes, such as the production of chlorine-containing organic chemicals, such as pesticides and plastics. It is one of the most toxic chemicals ever produced by humans.

Dioxins are found in many areas of the environment and are persistent, not easily degraded. Dioxins accumulate in the animal body in high amounts because they dissolve easily in fat. Since they are highly resistant to degradation and can remain undisturbed for a very long time, they can also enter the human body and accumulate in the body if contaminated with food. Even in very small amounts they have negative effects on human health and especially on children. It affects the immune, nervous and reproductive systems. They are also suspected of causing cancer.

Dioxin is a very toxic chemical but in practice it is very difficult to define the degree of dioxin poisoning. Because dioxin can interfere with many points in the metabolism of the human body.

Dioxins are released as unwanted substances during industrial production. In recent years, the increase in the production of plastic materials and organic chlorinated pesticides causes dioxin problems.

According to the researches, the main sources of dioxin emissions to air are as follows:

• Domestic use (percent 22)
• Wood use (percent 17)
• Exposed waste (15 percent)
• Metal and chemical industry (12 percent)

For this reason, the Regulation on the Control of Industrial Air Pollution obliges enterprises to take dioxin furan measurements emitted from the chimneys.

Standards based on dioxin furan measurements performed by authorized laboratories are as follows:

• TS EN 1948-1 Constant source emissions - Determination of mass concentrations of Pcdds / pcdfs - Part 1: Sampling
• TS EN 1948-2 Constant source emissions - Part 2: Extraction and cleaning
• TS EN 1948-3 Constant source emissions - Part 3: Identification and quantitative determination
• European Psychiatric Association, EPA 23, 1613, 8280A, 8290 and 428 methods