PCBs AND ASSOCIATED AROMATICS 951
The process is operated at ambient temperature. There
are no emissions from the closed-loop system and only clean
water, solvent and soil leave the process. The vessel is not
pressurised and does not require a high capital cost to con-
struct. The operation is conducted with a low power require-
ment of 25 or fewer amps and 8 volts which can be generated
in the field. If a power outage occurred, the reaction would
stop instantaneously. All of these factors make for a safe
working environment.
The electrochemical process has been used on efflu-
ent samples from various industry groups. Amongst these
is the effluent from the pulp and paper industry which is
known to contain large quantities of chlorinated organic
materials, referred to as AOX components, which may
include PCBs, PCDFs and PCDDs. The particular sample
treated contained originally a total of 43,000 ppb AOX.
The electrochemically treated solution showed a final
concentration of 970 ppb which was below the required
AOX industrial discharge limits. The process could have
been continued to further reduce the AOX if that had been
required.
The electrochemical process, whether intended for the
breaking of emulsions, the removal of dissolved or sus-
pended organic compounds, the destruction of chlorinated
synthetic organic compounds including PCBs, PCDFs and
PCDDs, operates on all of the contaminants simultaneously.
The application of the process is mobile and safe.
The electrochemical cell is not pressurised and does not
require expensive materials of construction to avoid chemi-
cal corrosion. Operating parameters are simple and safe—no
hazardous by-products are formed since all of the chlori-
nated organic compounds are completely dechlorinated.
The system is self-contained and has no emissions—the dis-
charge of clean soil and the reuse of water and solvent are
key products of the operation.
The capital cost of construction of this alternative tech-
nology is much lower than incineration. The extent of treat-
ment, expressed in terms of electrolytic conditions and time,
can be controlled to achieve a required level of destruction of
organochlorine compounds of concern.APPENDIXCOD Chemical oxygen Demand
DBPC Di-tertiary Butyl-P-Cresol
DRE Destruction and Removal Efficiency
ESR Electron Spin Resonance
HRGC High Resolution Gas Chromatography
HTFW High Temperature Fluid Wall
NaNp Sodium nephthalenide
NAPEG Sodium polyethylene glycol
NMR Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
NCI-MS Negative Chemical Ionization-Mass
Spectrometry
PCB Poly Chlorinated BiphenylPCBZ Poly Chloro Benzene
PCBP Poly Chloro Bi Phenylene
PCCY Poly Chlorinated Chrysene
PCDD Poly Chloro Diberizo-p-Dioxin
PCDF Poly Chlorinated Dibenzo Furan
PCDPE Poly Chlorinated Di Phenyl Ether
PCN Poly Chlorinated Naphthalene
PCPY Poly Chlorinated Pyrene
PCQ Poly Chlorinated Quaterphenyl
PIC Product of Incomplete Combustion
POHC Principal Organic Hazardous Constituent
RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
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