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Title: Overcoming Barriers to the Remediation of Carbon Tetrachloride Through Manipulation of Competing Reaction Mechanisms

Conference ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/839281· OSTI ID:826007

Most approaches that have been proposed for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with carbon tetrachloride produce chloroform as the major product and methylene chloride as a minor product. Both of these products are nearly as persistent and problematic as the parent compound, but competing reaction pathways produce the more desirable products carbon monoxide and/or formate. Branching between these reaction pathways is highly variable, but the controlling factors have not been identified. To improve the applicability of reductive remediation technologies to the large plumes of carbon tetrachloride at several DOE sites, we are pursuing the complete characterization of the mechanisms and kinetics of competing degradation reactions of carbon tetrachloride through laboratory experiments closely coordinated with theoretical modeling studies. The results are beginning to suggest strategies for maximizing the yield of desirable products from carbon tetrachloride degradation, which will be tested in column model systems using real site waters and matrix materials.

Research Organization:
Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR (US); Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC) (US)
DOE Contract Number:
FG07-02ER63485
OSTI ID:
826007
Resource Relation:
Conference: 227th American Chemical Society Meeting, Anaheim, CA (US), 03/28/2004--04/01/2004; Other Information: PBD: 29 Mar 2004
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English