Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

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Treatment Technologies

PCBs are extremely difficult to reduce or destroy in soil and sediment because remediation methods have to be developed for each particular type of soil. The majority of PCB wastes are destroyed by incineration. High temperature incineration is a well-developed and readily available technology in many industrialized countries; however, in the case of soils containing a high clay content, even incineration is a fairly long process, because a good dispersion of the clay must be obtained. Other technologies that have been applied, tested, or are under development include vitrification, thermal desorption, solidification/stabilization, direct chemical oxidation, solvent extraction, and slurry-phase bioremediation.

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CF Systems Organics Extraction Process, New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts. Applications Analysis Report
U.S. EPA, Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program.
EPA 540-A5-90-002, 73 pp, 1990.

Demonstration of the Aquablok® Sediment Capping Technology: Innovative Technology Evaluation Report
U.S. EPA, National Risk Management Research Laboratory. EPA 540-R-07-008, 145 pp, 2007

AquaBlok® is an innovative, proprietary clay polymer composite that generally comprises a mixture of bentonite clay with polymer additives covering a small aggregate core. Other specific formulations of AquaBlok® are available, including varieties that function in saline environments, incorporate treatment reagents to actively treat or sequester sediment contaminants, or contain plant seeds to promote the establishment or regrowth of vegetated habitat. The effectiveness of the product was evaluated over a 3-year period under EPA's SITE Program on sediments in the Anacostia River (Washington, DC) contaminated with PAHs, PCBs, and heavy metals. Overall results indicate that the material likely is more stable, more impermeable, and potentially more effective at controlling contaminant flux than traditional sand capping material, with similar impacts to benthos and benthic habitat.

Demonstration of In-Situ Thermal Desorption-Destruction of PCB's in Contaminated Soils at Mare Island Shipyard. Technical Data Sheet
C. Lonie; J. Reed; G. Brown; A. Evan, NFESC, Port Hueneme, CA.
NFESC-TDS-2051-ENV, NTIS: ADA361264, 5 pp, 1998.

Destruction Technologies for Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBS)
M.S.M. Mujeebur Rahuman (ICS-UNIDO); Luigi Pistone (SiiRTEC NIGI S.p.A., Milan, Italy);
Ferruccio Trifir (Univ. of Bologna, Italy); Stanislav Miertus (ICS-UNIDO).
International Centre for Science and High Technology, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (ICS-UNIDO), Trieste, Italy. 55 pp, 2000.

The emerging and innovative technologies being tested or implemented for PCB cleanup form a lengthy list: supercritical oxidation, electrochemical oxidation, solvated electron technology, chemical reduction reaction, dehalogenation processes (base catalyzed decomposition and apeg plus), molten metal pyrolysis, molten salt oxidation, plasma arc, catalytic hydrogenation, ultrasonic technology, the advanced oxidative process, solvent extraction/chemical dehalogenation/radiolytic degradation, solar detoxification/photochemical degradation, thermal desorption integrated technologies (thermal desorption/catalysed dehalogenation, thermal desorption/pyrolysis, thermal desorption/retort system, and vitrification), and biological technologies (bioslurry and enhanced bioremediation).

Emerging Technologies for the In Situ Remediation of PCB-Contaminated Soils and Sediments: Bioremediation and Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron
2004

This document was prepared by Alex Mikszewski, a National Network of Environmental Management studies grantee, under a fellowship from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This report reviews emerging technologies for the in situ remediation of PCB-contaminated sediments and soils to assess their viability for future employment.

Enhancing PCB Bioremediation
Jeffrey W. Talley et al. (eds) Federal Integrated Biotreatment Research Consortium (FIBRC): Flask to Field Initiative, ERDC/EL TR-02-37,Appendix D, 507 p, October 2002

Engineering Issue Paper: In Situ Chemical Oxidation
EPA 600-R-06-072, 2006

This issue paper was produced by the EPA Risk Management Research Laboratory and the Engineering Forum. It provides an up-to-date overview of ISCO remediation technology and fundamentals, and is developed based on peer-reviewed literature, EPA reports, web sources, current research, conference proceedings, and other pertinent information.

Engineering Issue: Technology Alternatives for the Remediation of PCB-Contaminated Soil and Sediment
B. Davila, K.W. Whitford, and E.S. Saylor.
EPA 540-S-93-506, 26 pp, 1993.

Evaluation of Lime and Persulfate Treatment for Mixed Contaminant Soil from Plum Brook Ordnance Works (Sandusky, OH)
V.F. Medina, S.A. Waisner, A.B. Morrow, C.C. Nestler, and M. Jones.
ERDC/EL TR-07-19, 116 pp, 2007

Soil contaminated with TNT, DNT, a PCB (Araclor 1260), PAHs, and lead was addressed with a series of chemical-based treatments, i.e., application of lime to treat the explosives, advanced oxidation (persulfate and Fenton's reagent) for treatment of PCBs and PAHs, and use of phosphate for stabilizing lead. Lime treatment degraded 98% of TNT, 75% of DNT, and 80% of PCBs, with minimal removal (41%) of PAHs. Similar removal levels were found for persulfate treatment and lime followed by persulfate. Treatments of the most contaminated soil did not meet preliminary remediation goals for explosives or PCBs.

Minergy Corporation Glass Furnace Technology Evaluation
U.S. EPA, Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program, Washington, DC.
EPA 540-R-03-500, 137 pp, Mar 2004.
Contact: Marta Richards, richards.marta@epa.gov

Phytoremediation Field Studies Database for Chlorinated Solvents, Pesticides, Explosives, and Metals
2004

This document was prepared by Ana Hoffnagle and Cynthia Green, two undergraduate students under internships with United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The paper briefly explains the concept of phytoremediation, details phytoremediation site considerations, and summarizes the successes and failures of field-scale sites where phytotechnologies have been applied or proposed.

Includes process descriptions, site requirements, performance, process residuals, innovative systems, and EPA contacts for incineration, thermal desorption, chemical dehalogenation, solvent extraction, soil washing, solidification/stabilization, bioremediation, and vitrification.

Pilot-Scale Land Treatment Study at the Saginaw, MI, Confined Disposal Facility
T. E. Myers and P. Horner, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS.
ERDC TN-DOER-C35, 10 pp., 2004.
Contact: Tommy Myers, tommy.e.myers@erdc.usace.army.mil, or Pam Horner, Pam.Horner@lre02.usace.army.mil

A pilot-scale study evaluated the technical feasibility of using land treatment technology to remediate dredged material contaminated with hydrophobic organic chemicals. Results from this study and a bench-scale study of the same dredged material both indicated that PCBs in Saginaw River sediment can be reduced via land treatment, though the study showed differences in the extent of reaction (percent PCB removed), with less contaminant reduction shown in the bench-scale data than in the pilot-scale data.

Reference Guide to Non-Combustion Technologies for Remediation of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Stockpile and Soil
U.S. EPA, EPA-542-R-05-006, 70 pp, 2005.

Removal of PCBs from Contaminated Soil Using the CF Systems™ Solvent Extraction Process: A Treatability Study
J. Tillman; L. Drees; E. Saylor.
U.S. EPA, Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. EPA 540-R-95-505, 85 pp, 1995.

Review of Emerging, Innovative Technologies for the Destruction and Decontamination of POPs and the Identification of Promising Technologies for Use in Developing Countries
Univ. of Auckland, New Zealand. United Nations Environment Programme, Global Environmental Facility, Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel. GF/8000-02-02-2205, 138 pp., 2004.

This report reviews existing non-combustion technologies and identifies those that are emerging, innovative, and promising for the destruction of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) stockpiles. POPs include many of the first generation organochlorine insecticides (DDT, aldrin), industrial chemical products (PCBs), and unwanted byproducts such as dioxins and furans. The report identifies 5 emerging and promising technologies and encourages their rapid commercialization: ball milling, the GeoMelt^TM process, mediated electrochemical oxidation via CerOx, mediated electrochemical oxidation via the AEA Silver II Process, and catalytic hydrogenation.

Substitution Reactions for the Detoxification of Hazardous Chemicals. Literature Research Report
Kawahara, F.K., National Risk Management Research Lab., Cincinnati, OH.
EPA 600-R-98-124. NTIS: PB98-177876. 44 pp, Sep 1998.

Literature findings on the destruction of compounds such as PCBs with polyethlene glycol are examined. In addition, a reaction mechanism for the EPA's base-catalyzed decomposition (BCD) process is given, effects of reaction parameters are noted, and various processes are assessed.

Survey of Currently Available Non-Incineration PCB Destruction Technologies
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). UNEP Chemicals, Geneva, Switzerland. 70 pp, 2000.

The methods primarily used on contaminated oils are solvent extraction, cement kilns, and vitrification.

Terra-Kleen Response Group, Inc., Solvent Extraction Technology, Innovative Technology Evaluation Report
U.S. EPA, Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. EPA 540-R-94-521, 62 pp, 1998.

Treatability Study Report of Green Mountain Laboratories, Inc.'s Bioremediation Process Treatment of PCB Contaminated Soils at Beede Waste Oil/Cash Energy Superfund Site, Plaistow, New Hampshire
Science Applications International Corporation, Hackensack, NJ.
EPA 540-R-05-006, 44 pp, 2005.

The Use and Effectiveness of Phytoremediation to Treat Persistent Organic Pollutants
49 pp, Aug 2005

This document was prepared by Kristi Russell during an internship with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sponsored by the Environmental Careers Organization. This report is intended to provide an overview of phytoremediation uses to treat media contaminated by persistent organic pollutants and demonstrate the potential for use of phytoremediation in developing and transitional economies.

The Use of Enhanced Bioremediation at the Savannah River Site to Remediate Pesticides and PCBs
R.R. Beul; C. Lewis; S. Baladi.
WSRC-MS-2003-00659, 25 pp, 2003.

Site-Specific Information

CLU-IN Site Profile Databases

CLU-IN Site Profile Databases contain information on thousands of projects where innovative approaches have been used to deal with contamination problems.

Completed North America Innovative Technology Demonstration Projects

Lists field demonstrations of innovative remediation technologies sponsored by government agencies working in partnership with private technology developers.

Federal Remediation Technology Roundtable Technology Cost and Performance Reports

FRTR makes available over 20 reports of cleanup technologies for PCB-contaminated sites.

Literature References

Technology Innovation News Survey Archives
The Technology Innovation News Survey archive contains resources gathered from published material and gray literature relevant to the research, development, testing, and application of innovative technologies for the remediation of hazardous waste sites. The collected abstracts date from 1998 to the present, and the archive is updated twice each month.

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Last updated on Tuesday, September 16, 2008