Technology Status Report: In Situ Flushing - CLU-IN

In Situ Flushing Project Summaries
GWRTAC Case Study Database
GWRTAC ID: FLSH0046
Project Name: Purdue University - Phototransformations of PCBs in Micellar
City: West Lafayette State/Province: IN
Primary GWRTAC Personal
Communication Source
(Name/Organization):
Report(s)/Publication(s) (GWRTAC Source):
U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Office Technology Information Summary Report, Aug. 1-15,
1998, page 7.
Project Summary:
The following was excerpted from U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Office Technology Information
Summary Report, Aug. 1-15, 1998, page 7:
This paper discusses photolysis as a destructive process for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
extracted from soils with surfactant solutions. Photodechlorination may eliminate the need to
physically separate these contaminants from the washing solution. Photochemical reactions of the
PCB congener mixture, Aroclor 1254, and the specific congener, 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorobiphenyl
(2,3,4,5-TeCB), were investigated in aqueous solutions containing surfactant micelles with UV light
at 253.7 nm. The main decay pathway in which lesser chlorinated congeners were formed as
intermediates was shown to be photoreduction through photodechlorination. The quantum yield for
decay of 0.1µ M 2,3,4,5-TeCB in 0.5 mM Brij 58 micellar solutions was over six times greater than
in water alone. Surfactant loss to the soil proved to be the limiter for sequential extraction from a
soil and photoreduction of 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorobiphenyl by Brij 58 solutions.
Report(s)/Publication(s) (Additional Information Sources):
Chu, Wei, Chad T. Jafvert, Claude A. Diehl, Karen Marley, Richard A. Larson, 1998:
"Phototransformations of Polychorobiphenyls in Brij 58 Micellar Solutions", in Environmental
Science and Technology, Vol. 32, No. 13, pp. 1989-1993, July 1, 1998.
Ground-Water Remediation Technologies Analysis Center
Operated by Concurrent Technologies Corporation
Appendix - Page 95 of 164
Copyright GWRTAC 1998
Revision 1
Tuesday, November 17, 1998