42CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF GAMMA RAY INDUCED PRODUCTS OF POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCB) |
P.K.S. Nam1, Q. Liu1, S. Kapila1, T.E. Clevenger2, and R. Curry3, 1Department of Chemistry, 2Department of Civil Engineering and Missouri Water Resources Center, and 3Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Missouri- Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211. |
Despite the passage of 21 years since the moratorium on production of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), these compounds remain a significant cause of environmental concern. The PCB-contaminated media of most interest are dielectric fluids and soils.
A number of techniques for destruction of PCBs in dielectric fluids have been developed. The PCB degradation in soil, however, is considerably more problematic. Scientists at the University of Missouri are exploring a new approach, involving irradiation of contaminated soil with 1.25 MeV gamma rays from a 60Co source either in the original soil or in soils containing an alcohol/alkane mixture.
Chemical analyses of the irradiated soils show that the PCBs are readily transformed by exposure to gamma rays. Preliminary results show that the transformation in soils occurs preferentially through reductive dechlorination. This is in agreement with results obtained by Mincher et al. Furthermore, dechlorination occurs without a preference for the position or the number of chlorines. Degradation of Aroclor 1260 from 360 ppm to
Return to Main Table of Contents
Sub-Menu of Event Programs
Remediation of Munitions Compounds Kansa B
Vegetation-based Remediation Kansa B
Partnerships & Innovative Technologies Kansa C/D
Nonaqueous Phase Liquids Kansa C/D
Partnerships & Technology Innovations Kansa C/D
|
|
Send comments on the Great Plains/Rocky Mountain HSRC web pages to: hsrc@engg.ksu.edu;
comments or questions about this WWW server, to: www@engg.ksu.edu.