Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

5-31-1992

Degree Name

Master of Science in Environmental Science - (M.S.)

Department

Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Environmental Science

First Advisor

Jay N. Meegoda

Second Advisor

Barbara B. Kebbekus

Third Advisor

S. Mitra

Abstract

The petroleum contaminated soils (PCSs) due to leaking underground storagetanks are required to be removed and isolated in a designated area for proper treatment. Recently, a technique of recycle has been developed to incorporate PCSs into hot mixing asphalt (HMA) as a partial substitute for stone aggregate; the mixture then was used for road paving.

This study focuses on the estimation of the emission of volatile organic compounds from the process of mixing asphalt with PCSs and the contamination of ground water by paving the asphalt mixture made with PCSs. Eleven volatile organic compounds and total non-methane organic compounds emitted from the asphalt mixing process were measured by solid adsorbent sampling and thermal desorption, followed by gas chromatographic analysis. An uniform leachability test was designed to simulate the VOCs release to ground water as asphalt mixtures with PCSs were paved on roads.

The results showed that the mixing process of PCSs with asphalt can increase VOCs emission, but there was no severe air pollution problem. There was insignificant VOCs leaching from this mixture to ground water. Therefore, from the environmental aspect, this technique is a feasible method to remediate and reuse PCSs.

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