The destruction of hazardous wastes is an attractive new application of solar technologies. Development of solar detoxification technologies is being undertaken by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of a unified project managed by the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) in conjunction with Sandia National Laboratories. The overall objectives of this effort are to identify and advance new applications for early utilization of solar technologies, and to address a growing national and international need for advanced, innovative technologies aimed at environmental clean-up. The technologies being developed are grouped into two categories, those that treat hazardous chemicals in aqueous solution and those that destroy chemicals in the gas phase. The specific goal of this project is the development of commercialized solar detoxification technology by the mid-1990s. Realization of this goal will require a strong industry interaction with the laboratories; thus, many of the most important technology development efforts are planned to be carried out by industrial groups. This paper will describe these technologies and the state of their development, list several application options, and describe the future program envisioned for this area.
