Pyrolysis-capillary gas chromatography combined with FID, ECD and MS detection were used to characterize refuse-derived fuel and aquatic fulvic acids. Different pyrolysis methods and programs were evaluated. Pyrolysis temperatures of 700-800°C produced the strongest signal for organics present in RDF and fulvic acid. Cellulose and fatty acids pyrolyzates were identifiable by GC-MS following preparative pyrolysis fractionation. At organic chloride content of 0.023%, only three halogenated compounds were detected in the GC-MS of the fractions. None of the priority pollutants were detected at lower detection limit of 0.72 to 24 mg/ kg RDF. Selective solvent extraction improves the reproduciblities of the technique and allows the detection of polymeric structures. Pyrograms of polyvinyl chloride and regular typing paper showed some common peaks that are present in the RDF pyrogram. About 65% of the peaks in the RDF pyrogram might be of paper origin. The organic chloride content of the RDF was evaluated by ion chromatography of the trapped pyrolyzates in 2% NaOH trap and it was found to be 221 mg Cl/ kg dry RDF. Pyrolysis conditions and temperature programs for FA were systematically evaluated. Samples included purified FA, methylated FA and HPLC separated fractions. Characteristic pyrograms were developed. Profiles of benzene, toluene, phenol, m-cresol and biphenyl from FA were evaluated. The production of phenol was the largest at 800°C, at concentration of 1.61 mg per gram of FA pyrolyzed. The profiles of benzene and toluene followed the same pathways. Both pyrolyzates had at least two precursors. HPLC fractions of FA showed some regular retention patterns characteristic of polymeric material. DL-proline, seriene and vanillic acid pyrograms showed some peaks with the same retention times as those in FA pyrogram under the same conditions. A reproducibility of 6% relative standard deviation was achieved in the pyrolysis of RDF and 0.91% in the case of FA.