Remediation of Contaminated Soils with PCBs Using an Integrated Treatment: Desorption and Oxidation
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 5
Abstract
During most of the past century, large quantities of substances were produced and utilized that subsequently proved harmful. This is the case with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which only became prohibited by law in the 1970s. As a result of their physicochemical properties, these substances are now present everywhere, although they are mainly found in soils, since they are hydrophobic in character. The present study evaluates an innovatory treatment for the remediation ex situ of soils contaminated by PCBs. This treatment consists of a first stage of desorption using a surfactant agent, followed by a second stage of oxidation with the object of transforming the PCBs into innocuous substances through successive oxidations using the photo-Fenton process. The results obtained (87% remediation in the desorption and 100% in the oxidation stages) show this new treatment to be a highly effective alternative, which does not generate dangerous residues of any type.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 5 • May 2007
Pages: 541 - 547
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Apr 24, 2006
Accepted: Aug 17, 2006
Published online: May 1, 2007
Published in print: May 2007
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