Process to wash polymers contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Patent · Tue Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 2009

OSTI ID:1531587

Jody, Bassam J.; Pomykala, Jr., Joseph A.; Daniels, Edward J.; Spangenberger, Jeffrey S.

A process of washing plastics contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is provided to reduce the concentration of the PCBs. A two-step process includes a first washing step using a selected washing solution or solvent, such as, a non-flammable solvent, and followed by a second step using thermal desorption. The two-step process enables reducing the concentration of PCBs in polymers, such as recovered from shredder residue, for example, to as low as 0.253 PPM. One of the preferred solvents is Perchloroethylene.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357; W-31-109-ENG-38
• Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC (Chicago, IL)
• Patent Number(s): 7,525,010
• Application Number: 11/590,511
• OSTI ID: 1531587
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 2006-10-31
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English