(formerly VULCAN PEROXIDATION SYSTEMS, INC.)
(perox-pure™ Chemical Oxidation Technology)
The perox-pure™ treatment system is designed to destroy dissolved organic contaminants in groundwater or wastewater with an advanced chemical oxidation process that uses ultraviolet (UV) radiation and hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is added to the contaminated water, and the mixture is then fed into the treatment system.
perox-pure™ Model SSB-30
The treatment system's oxidation section contains one or more reaction chambers. Each chamber contains one high-intensity UV lamp mounted in a quartz sleeve. The contaminated water flows in the space between the chamber wall and the quartz sleeve in which each UV lamp is mounted. The perox-pure™ equipment includes circular wipers attached to the quartz sleeves. These wipers periodically remove solids that may accumulate on the sleeves, a feature designed to maintain maximum treatment efficiency.
UV light catalyzes chemical oxidation of organic contaminants in water by affecting the organics so they react with hydrogen peroxide. Many organic contaminants that absorb UV light change chemically or become more reactive with chemical oxidants. More importantly, UV light catalyzes hydrogen peroxide breakdown to produce hydroxyl radicals, which are powerful chemical oxidants. Hydroxyl radicals react with and destroy organic contaminants, ultimately producing harmless by-products such as carbon dioxide, halides, and water. The treatment system produces no air emissions.
The perox-pure™ technology treats groundwater and wastewater contaminated with chlorinated solvents, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, phenolics, ethers, fuel hydrocarbons, and other organic compounds. It is effective on concentrations ranging from low parts per billion to several hundred parts per million (ppm). In certain instances, when used in conjunction with photocatalysts, it can be competitive for contaminated concentrations of several thousand ppm. In some cases, the combination of the perox-pure™ technology with activated carbon, air stripping, or biological treatment will provide a more economical approach than would be obtained by using only one technology.
The perox-pure™ technology was accepted into the SITE Demonstration Program in April 1991. A Model SSB-30 (see photograph on previous page) was demonstrated in September 1992 at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Superfund site in Altamont Hills, California. The purpose of this demonstration was to measure how well the perox-pure™ technology removed volatile organic compounds from contaminated groundwater at the site. The Demonstration Bulletin (EPA/540/MR-93/501), Technology Demonstration Summary (EPA/540/SR-93/501), Applications Analysis Report (EPA/540/AR-93/501), and Technology Evaluation Report (EPA/540/R-93/501) are available from EPA.
This technology has been successfully applied to over 150 sites throughout the United States, Canada, the Far East, and Europe. The treat-ment units at these sites have treated contaminated groundwater, industrial wastewater, contaminated drinking water, landfill leachates, and industrial reuse streams (process waters). Equipment treatment rates range from several gallons to several thousand gallons per minute.
Operating parameters for the treatment system were varied during the demonstration. Three reproducibility tests were performed at the optimum operating conditions, which were selected from the initial test runs.
In most cases, the perox-pure™ technology reduced trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, chloroform, trichloroethane, and dichloroethane to below analytical detection limits. For each organic contaminant, the perox-pure™ technology complied with California action levels and federal drinking water maximum contaminant levels at the 95 percent confidence level. The quartz sleeve wipers effectively cleaned the sleeves and eliminated the interference caused by tube scaling.
EPA PROJECT MANAGER:
Norma Lewis
U.S. EPA
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45268
513-569-7665
Fax: 513-569-7787
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPER CONTACT:
Bertrand Dussert
Calgon Carbon Oxidation Technologies
500 Calgon Carbon Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
412-787-6681
Fax: 412-787-6682
E-mail: Dussert@calgcarb.com