SOIL DECONTAMINATION VIA MICROWAVE AND RADIO-FREQUENCY COVOLATILIZATION

Microwave and radio frequency heating techniques have proven to be suitable on the laboratory scale and for small scale field studies as energy sources for thermal processing of solvent contaminated hazardous waste and contaminated soils. The process described here is a technique that could be used to remove contaminates from soils or sludges on-site, collect the contaminate in an activated carbon absorption tower, and move the activated carbon off site for regeneration. The data presented show that destruction and removal efficiencies (DRE) of near 100% can be achieved for phenanthrene in simulated API separator sludge and 60% for pentachlorophenol in contaminated soil. A technique to enhance microwave absorption by the addition of carbon particles to the soil or sludge sample to be treated is discussed.