PCB Volatilization from Sediments
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 1
Abstract
The loss of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from sediment by volatilization is currently under scrutiny by polluters, regulators, and researchers. In this research, a one-dimensional mathematical model for the volatilization of PCBs from sediment was developed. The model considers a system with three phases: A water-saturated PCB contaminated sediment, the overlying water, and air above the water. A simple microcosm consisting of sediment, water and air that allows for (pseudo)-one-dimensional transport of PCB from the sediment to the gas phase was utilized to perform PCB transport studies using two PCB congeners: 4, -dichlorobiphenyl (DCB) and 2, ,4, ,5, -hexachlorobiphenyl (HCB). The experimental data on DCB were used to calibrate and validate the mathematical model. The calibrated model was then used to simulate the effect of sediment layer thickness, depth of the overlying water, and the level of contamination on the rate of DCB volatilization.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank Dr. Amid Khodadoust for assistance with analytical methods development, and Dr. Jimmy Antia for assistance in the preparation of the project work plan. This study was funded by the U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 1 • January 2006
Pages: 102 - 111
Copyright
© 2005 ASCE.
History
Received: Sep 29, 2003
Accepted: Jan 14, 2005
Published online: Jan 1, 2006
Published in print: Jan 2006
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