This work summarizes the results of a feasibility study in support of a soi
l venting-thermal desorption (SVTD) process for remediating lampblack-impac
ted soil. Lampblack is the solid residue resulting from the gasification of
crude oil. The SVTD process couples soil vapor extraction with in situ hea
ting. The objective of this study is to determine the required temperature
for desorbing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the compounds of reg
ulatory concern, from lampblack. Bench-scale results are reported for the t
reatment of a soil-lampblack matrix containing 11 PAHs totaling about 4100
ppm (mg/kg) total PAH (TPAH). Solids characterization analyses suggested th
at these PAHs constitute about 60% of the organic residue on a solid matrix
dominated by fine-grained sand and carbon-based lampblack particles. Thin
section imagery supports the conceptual model of hydrocarbons associated wi
th the surface of sand grains. SVTD testing for the sand-lampblack solids i
ndicates that temperatures in excess of about 250 degreesC are sufficient t
o mobilize most of the PAHs. Specifically, at temperatures between 250 degr
eesC and 300 degreesC, the TPAH level in the soil-lampblack matrix was redu
ced to less than 100 ppm in 10 days. The dynamics of PAH removal were captu
red reasonably well by a mass balance accounting for the temperature depend
ent volatilization of an ideal PAH mixture. Both simulated and experimental
results support the finding that the vast majority of the PAH removal from
this sand-lampblack matrix was controlled by thermodynamic considerations
(as opposed to mass transfer resistances). A small residual PAH fraction (r
oughly 40 ppm TPAH) was observed to persist in the solids even at temperatu
res in excess of 650 degreesC. Although the specific state of these persist
ent PAHs is unknown, they may reside within an extremely nonvolatile residu
e or be otherwise strongly sequestered in the solid matrix.