Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
5-31-1990
Degree Name
Master of Science in Environmental Science - (M.S.)
Department
Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Environmental Science
First Advisor
Su Ling Cheng
Second Advisor
Paul C. Chan
Third Advisor
Leonard Dauerman
Abstract
The objectives of this research are of twofold, namely, to investigate the desorption behaviors of hazardous constituents evolved from several types of contaminated soils, and to evaluate the in-situ thermal treatment of organic chemical contaminated soil.
Two clay soil minerals and a silty sand with five organic compounds, dichlorophenol, trichlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene (TCE) were used in this study. The desorption behaviors were evaluated by thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and a simulator of in situ desorption by heating probes. The results of TGA analysis revealed that a completely removal of organic contaminants can be achieved in a moderate temperature. They also showed that soil types, contaminant constitutents, and temperature are important factors in the desorption process.
Significant thermal gradients of contaminated soil were found in the simulating system of in situ desorption by heating probes. Thermal resistance was found to be increased as moisture content decreased. The scope of this study was lim?ited to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) whose boiling point are below 110 °C. Futhermore, between 91.6 and 98.8 % of the trichloroethylene present in soil can be recovered for a 22-hour interval using a heating probe in a probe temperature of 250 °C.
These results showed that in situ thermal desorption is a feasible method for the cleaning of large volumes of soils. Finally, Further work should be carried out in a large scale with a controlled condition to develop engineering data.
Recommended Citation
Dong, Chengdi, "Thermal desorption of contaminated soils" (1990). Theses. 2648.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/2648
