Combined mechanochemical and thermal treatment of PCBs contaminated soil

Abstract

This study combines a preliminary mechanochemical treatment and a subsequent thermal desorption for remediating soil, contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). After 2 hours of grinding, assisted by addition of SiO₂, the total concentration of PCBs and their TEQ-value decreased by 81.9% and 85.4%, respectively. The effect of thermal treatment at 400, 500 and 600 °C on the removal efficiency of PCBs from ground soil was then investigated. The residual amount of PCBs reduced with the rising temperature and dropped to 137 ng g⁻¹ in the treated soil when the treatment temperature reached 600 °C, equivalent to a desorption efficiency of 99.85% and a removal efficiency of nearly 100%. The formation of polychlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) was also monitored: PCDDs and PCDFs were generated, particularly at 400 °C, however their formation weakened at higher temperatures and hydrodechlorination dominated.