Polychlorinated biphenyls removal from contaminated soils using a transportable indirect thermal dryer unit: implications for emissions

Abstract

An assessment in China of the application of a transportable indirect thermal dryer unit for the remediation of soils contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) demonstrated that it is well suited to remove PCBs from soils. A remarkable reduction of total PCBs in soils from 163-770 μg g(-1) to 0.08-0.15 μg g(-1) was achieved. This represented removal efficiencies of greater than 99.9% and an approximate 100% removal of the toxic equivalent of the PCBs. Furthermore, the emissions to the atmosphere from the unit were in compliance with current PCBs regulations. In conclusion, remediation of PCBs-contaminated soils based on a transportable indirect thermal dryer unit appears to be a highly efficient and environmentally sound treatment technology that has huge implications for cleaning thousands of regionally dispersed sites of PCBs contamination in China.

Keywords: Emission; Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); Removal efficiency; Soil remediation; Thermal desorption.