Incineration of PCB-contaminated soils: Effect on soil properties
- Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, Quebec (Canada). Chemical Engineering Dept.
- SNC Lavalin Inc., Montreal, Quebec (Canada)
- CINTEC Environnement Inc., Lasalle, Quebec (Canada)
An experimental program was conducted to determine the effect of fluidized bed combustion on the properties and characteristics of a soil lightly contaminated with PCBs. The following properties of a soil sample and its leachate were characterized before and after incineration: pH, particle size distribution, and contaminant content. Three runs were carried out on a pilot scale fluidized bed at identical conditions, with three different soil samples: set point temperature of 870 {+-} 40 C and minimal residence time of 30 min. The main conclusions can be summarized as follows: under the operating conditions of the test, PCBs present in soil are eliminated to below the detection level; the runs showed good reproducibility; soil pH increases from 8.6 {+-} 0.1 to 10.7 {+-} 0.2 because of the natural limestone (CaCO{sub 3}), which calcines and then hydrolyzes to basic calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH){sub 2}); the incineration seems to lead to soil agglomeration; soil heavy metal content is decreased significantly after incineration; soil leachate heavy metal content is not significantly affected by incineration, except for chromium (from 0.02 to 0.06 mg/L) and zinc (from 0.1 to 0.25 mg/L); treated soil leachate content for organics and organochlorines is below the detection level.
- OSTI ID:
- 287979
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950522-; ISBN 0-7918-1305-3; TRN: IM9639%%599
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 13. international conference on fluidized-bed combustion, Orlando, FL (United States), 7-10 May 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of 13. international conference on fluidized bed combustion: Proceedings. Volume 2; Heinschel, K.J. [ed.] [Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (United States)]; PB: 823 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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