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PILOT-SCALE INCINERATION OF PCB-CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS FROM THE NEW BEDFORD HARBOR HOT SPOT SUPERFUND SITE
Citation:
Whitworth, W. AND L. Waterland. PILOT-SCALE INCINERATION OF PCB-CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS FROM THE NEW BEDFORD HARBOR HOT SPOT SUPERFUND SITE. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/R-92/068.
Description:
Testing was performed at the EPA's Incineration Research Facility (IRF) to determine the incinerability of contaminated marine sediment from the Hot Spot in the New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site. he contaminants at this site were PCBs, at concentrations up to >200,000 mg/kg, and metals, chiefly cadmium, chromium, copper,and lead, at concentrations up to several hundred mg/kg. ediments were incinerated without dewatering. ests were run on sediments spiked with pure PCB transformer fluid and a brief period of operation with native sediment alone, or unspiked. iln exit gas temperature was varied from 824 to 984 degrees C (1515 to 1803 degrees F). reater than 99.9999% destruction and removal efficiency was achieved at both kiln temperatures with the afterburner operated at 1200 degrees C (2206 degrees F), but the treated sediment was still PCB-contaminated. he kiln ash accounted for about 80 to 90% of the discharged amount of copper and chromium at both kiln temperatures. iln ash discharge accounted for 53% (low kiln temperature) and 20% (high kiln temperature) of the lead and 61% (low kiln temperature and 10 to 20% (high kiln temperature) of the cadmium. est results suggest that incineration would be an effective treatment option for the site sediments. owever, sediment dewatering prior to incineration and/or incinerating for a longer kiln solids residence time might be required to produce a treated sediment not contaminated by PCBs.