TREATING CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT WITH A 2-STAGE BASE-CATALYZED DECOMPOSITION (BCD) PROCESS - BENCH-SCALE EVALUATION

The New York/New Jersey (NY/NJ) Harbor estuary sediment contains polyc hlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDDs/PCDFs), polychlorinated bip henyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and chlorinate d pesticides. The U.S. EPA-developed two-stage base-catalyzed decompos ition (BCD) process was tested for removal and decomposition of these organic contaminants of concern (OCCs) from the sediment. The Stage 1 process removed OCCs to below the limits of analytical quantitation (L AQs) or the limits of the potentially applicable requirements (LPARs), and concentrated OCCs into a small volume of organic condensate for S tage 2 chemical destruction. The aqueous condensate fractions containe d some nondestroyed contaminants, either at levels below LPARs or at l evels that could be treated by conventional treatment processes. Facto rs such as chemical addition, water content, and residence time were e xamined for their effects on the treatment process. Mass balances were calculated. The distribution of metal contaminants was determined. (C ) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.