Permeation of Volatile Organic Compounds through EVOH Thin Film Membranes and Coextruded LLDPE/EVOH/LLDPE Geomembranes
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 2
Abstract
Coextruded geomembranes with an inner ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) layer are gaining attention as potential improved barriers to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when used in barrier systems that would traditionally use high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes. The permeation characteristics of nine common VOCs in aqueous solutions through the EVOH layer are investigated for two thin films: a 0.015-mm-thick, 32 mol% EVOH and a 0.02-mm-thick, 44 mol% EVOH. The VOCs included aromatic hydrocarbons [benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX)] and chlorinated hydrocarbons [1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA), dichloromethane (DCM), trichloroethylene (TCE), and tetrachloroethylene (PCE)]. The BTEX permeation coefficients, , range from depending on the contaminant and mol% EVOH. When a 0.02-mm-thick, 38 mol% EVOH thin film layer is coextruded with linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) to form a 0.53-mm-thick geomembrane, the BTEX permeation values of the EVOH thin film itself are reduced to . The higher permeation coefficients for the thin films as compared with the film contained in the coextruded LLDPE/EVOH/LLDPE geomembrane are attributed to interactions between the water in the aqueous solution and the EVOH layer, an interaction that is prevented by the presence of the LLDPE in the coextruded geomembrane. These values are two to four orders of magnitude lower than values that have been observed for LLDPE and HDPE geomembranes. The effect of temperature on VOC permeation was also studied for the 32 mol% EVOH thin films at . An Arrhenius relationship was developed that allows the evaluation of the permeation characteristics at temperatures 23–50°C and, by extrapolation, an estimation of the values for temperatures a little higher or lower than the test temperatures.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This study was financially supported by EVAL-Kuraray Americas (Houston, Texas), who provided the EVOH thin films, and Raven Industries Engineered Films Division (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), who provided the coextruded LLDPE/EVOH/LLDPE geomembrane. Their support throughout the project is gratefully acknowledged. The authors are also grateful to key contributors to the study: E. Sandl and D. Jones; Dr. A. Rutter, P. Whitley, and the Analytical Services Unit at Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada, for their expertise in method development, testing, and use of laboratory facilities; and Prof. I. Snape, G. Hince, and the team at the Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Australia.
References
Aminabhavi, T. M., and Naik, H. G. (1998). “Chemical compatibility testing of geomembranes—sorption/desorption, diffusion, permeation and swelling phenomena.” Geotext. Geomembr., 16(6), 333–354.
Aminabhavi, T. M., and Naik, H. G. (1999). “Chemical compatibility of geomembranes—Sorption, diffusion and swelling phenomena.” J. Plast. Film Sheeting, 15(1), 47–56.
Chainey, M. (1989). “Transport phenomena in polymer films.” Handbook of polymer science and technology: Composites and specialty applications, N. P. Cheremisinoff, ed., Vol. 4, Marcel Dekker, New York, 499–540.
Crank, J. (1975). The mathematics of diffusion, 2nd Ed., Clarendon Press, Oxford, U.K.
Crank, J., and Park, J. (1968). Diffusion of polymers, Academic Press, London.
Edil, T. B. (2003). “A review of aqueous-phase VOC transport in modern landfill liners.” Waste Manage., 23(7), 561–571.
Islam, M. Z., and Rowe, R. K. (2009). “Permeation of BTEX through unaged and aged HDPE geomembranes.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 1130–1140.
Jones, D., et al. (2013). “Evaluation of geosynthetics used in barrier systems to contain hydrocarbon-contaminated soils in Antarctica.” Proc., GéoMontréal: 66th Canadian Geotechnical Conf. and 11th Joint CGS/IAH-CNC Groundwater Conf., Canadian Geotechnical Society, Montréal.
Joo, J. C., Kim, J. Y., and Nam, K. (2004). “Mass transfer of organic compounds in dilute aqueous solutions into high density polyethylene geomembranes.” J. Environ. Eng., 175–183.
Joo, J. C., Nam, K., and Kim, J. Y. (2005). “Estimation of mass transport parameters of organic compounds through high density polyethylene geomembranes using a modified double-compartment apparatus.” J. Environ. Eng., 790–799.
Klett, N., Edil, T. B., Benson, C. H., and Connelly, J. (2005). “Evaluation of volatile organic compounds in Wisconsin landfill leachate and lysimeter samples.” Final Rep., Univ. of Wisconsin System Groundwater Research Program, Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI.
Klett, N. O. (2006). “Leachate characterization and volatile organic compound (VOC) transport: A study of engineered landfills in Wisconsin.” M.S. thesis, Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI.
Lagaron, J. M., Giménez, E., Gavara, R., and Catala, R. (2003). “Mechanisms of moisture sorption in barrier polymers used in food packaging: Amorphous polyamide vs. high barrier ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer studied by vibrational spectroscopy.” Macromol. Chem. Phys., 204(4), 704–713.
Lagaron, J. M., Powell, A. K., and Bonner, J. G. (2001). “Permeation of water, methanol, fuel and alcohol-containing fuels in high-barrier ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer.” Polym. Test., 20(5), 569–577.
McWatters, R., et al. (2014). “Geosynthetics in Antarctica—An overview of geosynthetics employed in barrier systems used in remediation activities at Casey Station, Antarctica.” Proc., 10th Int. Conf. on Geosynthetics, International Geosynthetics Society, Jupiter, FL.
McWatters, R. S. (2010). “Diffusion of volatile organic compounds through barrier systems.” Ph.D. thesis, Queen’s Univ., Kingston, ON, Canada.
McWatters, R. S., and Rowe, R. K. (2009). “Transport of volatile organic compounds through PVC and LLDPE geomembranes from both aqueous and vapour phases.” Geosynthetics Int., 16(6), 468–480.
McWatters, R. S., and Rowe, R. K. (2010). “Diffusive transport of VOCs through LLDPE and two coextruded geomembranes.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 1167–1177.
Naylor, T. deV. (1989). “Permeation properties.” Comprehensive polymer science, G. Allen and J. C. Bevington, eds., Pergamon Press, Oxford, U.K., 643–668.
Park, J. K., and Nibras, M. (1993). “Mass flux of organic chemicals through polyethylene geomembranes.” Water Environ. Res., 65(3), 227–237.
Park, J. K., Sakti, J. P., and Hoopes, J. A. (1996). “Transport of organic compounds in thermoplastic geomembranes. I: Mathematical model.” J. Environ. Eng., 800–806.
Park, M.-G., Benson, C. H., and Edil, T. B. (2012). “Comparison of batch and double compartment tests for measuring voc transport parameters in geomembranes.” Geotext. Geomembr., 31, 15–30.
POLLUTE 7 [Computer software]. Napanee, ON, Canada, GAEA Technologies.
Rowe, R. K. (1998). “Geosynthetics and the minimization of contaminant migration through barrier systems beneath solid waste.” Proc., 6th Int. Conf. on Geosynthetics, International Geosynthetics Society, Jupiter, FL, 27–103.
Rowe, R. K. (2005). “Long-term performance of contaminant barrier systems.” Géotechnique, 55(9), 631–678.
Rowe, R. K., and Booker, J. (2004). POLLUTE v. 7—1D pollutant migration through a non-homogeneous soil, GAEA Technologies, Napanee, ON, Canada.
Rowe, R. K., Caers, C. J., and Barone, F. (1988). “Laboratory determination of diffusion and distribution coefficients of contaminants using undisturbed clayey soil.” Can. Geotech. J., 25(1), 108–118.
Rowe, R. K., Quigley, R. M., Brachman, R. W. I., and Booker, J. R. (2004). Barrier systems for waste disposal facilities, Spon Press, London.
Sangam, H. P., and Rowe, R. K. (2001). “Migration of dilute aqueous organic pollutants through HDPE geomembranes.” Geotext. Geomembr., 19(6), 329–357.
Sangam, H. P., and Rowe, R. K. (2005). “Effect of surface fluorination on diffusion through a high density polyethylene geomembrane.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 694–704.
Scheirs, J. (2009). “Chemical resistance of geomembranes.” A guide to polymeric geomembranes: A practical approach, Wiley, Chichester, U.K., 313–342.
Touze-Foltz, N., Rosin-Paumier, S., Mazéas, L., and Guenne, A. (2011). “Diffusion of volatile organic compounds through an HDPE geomembrane.” Proc., Geo-Frontiers 2011: Advances in Geotechnical Engineering, Geotechnical special publication 211, J. Han and D. E. Alzamora, eds., ASCE, Reston, VA, 1121–1130.
Xiao, S., Moresoli, C., Bolvenkamp, J., and De Kee, D. (1997). “Sorption and permeation of organic environmental contaminants through PVC geomembranes.” J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 63(9), 1189–1197.
Zhang, Z., Britt, I. J., and Tung, M. A. (1999). “Water absorption in EVOH films and its influence on glass transition temperature.” J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys., 37(7), 691–699.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 141 • Issue 2 • February 2015
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 28, 2014
Accepted: Sep 2, 2014
Published online: Oct 6, 2014
Published in print: Feb 1, 2015
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.