The report gives results of a laboratory evaluation of a control technique developed for the EPA for the catalytic reduction of chlorinated hydrocarbons (specifically PCBs and chlorinated pesticides such as heptachlor and endrin). The technique involves elution of polluted water at ambient temperature and at neutral pH through a column containing a mixture of sand and copper iron catalyst. The evaluation found that PCBs are not detectably reduced, but are chromatographically eluted from the column in order of increasing chlorination. The catalyst was found to partially reduce heptachlor and endrin. The possibility of chromatographic elution by endrin and/or heptachlor was briefly investigated using miniature columns and found to be insignificant. The report also describes the observation of an additional on-site demonstration of the catalytic reduction technology, including observation of the test procedure, gas chromatography with electron capture detection, and subsequent laboratory GC/MS analysis of transported samples. An evaluation of the reports generated during the development of the catalytic reduction technique is presented. It discusses errors and emissions in the developmental experimental protocol which led to the erroneous conclusions that the technique was applicable to PCBs.

Contract no. 68-02-2612, tasks 17 and 18, program element no 1BB610. Mar. 1978. Includes bibliographical references (p. 22).