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Title: Amine-enhanced photodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7090872

Uncontrolled releases of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from transformers and capacitors pose a significant environmental problem to the electric utility industry. This report describes a series of experiments whose objective was to demonstrate the practicality of using natural solar radiation in conjunction with the application of an amine for in situ degradation of PCBs in contaminated soil. The soil tested was clay from beneath a capacitor rack at a pacific northwest utility substation. While no degradation of the PCBs in soil was found after two weeks of sunlight exposure, further solution experiments indicate that degradation of PCBs does occur in the presence of an amine and simulated solar radiation. In hexane solutions containing 1 ppM Aroclor 1268 with 10 and 100 ppM ethylenediamine, 37% and 53% reductions in PCB concentration, respectively, were found after 70 h of solar simulator irradiation. These results suggest that the clay matrix or other soil components may have interfered with the photodegradation process. Investigations into the reaction mechanism, reaction products, optimum treatment parameters and appropriate matrices appear to be warranted. Successful development of this in situ technique could lead to major savings in mitigation efforts for contaminated soils and surfaces.

Research Organization:
Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
7090872
Report Number(s):
EPRI-CS-2513; ON: DE82021378
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English