vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA/540/F-95/500
March 1995
SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION
Emerging Technology Bulletin
AmbersortP 563 Adsorbent
Rohm and Haas Company
Technology Description: The Ambersorb® adsorbent is a
regenerable adsorbent that treats groundwater contaminated with
hazardous organics (see figure below). Ambersorb 563 adsor-
bent has 5 to 10 times the capacity of granular activated carbon
(GAG) for low concentrations of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs). Ambersorb Adsorbents were developed by Rohm and
Haas.
Current GAC adsorption techniques are well established for
groundwater remediation, but require either disposal or thermal
regeneration of the spent carbon. In these cases, the GAC must
be removed from the site and shipped as a hazardous material to
the disposal or regeneration facility.
Ambersorb 563 adsorbent has unique properties that result in
several key performance benefits:
• Ambersorb 563 adsorbent can be regenerated on site using
steam, thus eliminating the liability and cost of off-she regenera-
tion or disposal associated with GAC treatment. Condensed
contaminants are recovered through phase separation.
• Because Ambersorb 563 adsorbent has a much higher capac-
ity for volatile organics than GAC (at low concentrations), the
process can operate for significantly longer service cycle times
before regeneration is required.
• Ambersorb 563 adsorbent can operate at higher flow rate
loadings compared with GAC, which translates into a smaller,
more compact system.
• Ambersorb 563 adsorbents are hard, nondusting, spherical
beads with excellent physical integrity, eliminating handling
problems and attrition losses typically associated with GAC.
• Ambersorb 563 adsorbent is not prone to bacterial fouling.
• Ambersorb 563 adsorbents have extremely low ash levels.
In addition, the Ambersorb 563 carbonaceous adsorbent-based
remediation process could eliminate the need to dispose of by-
products. Organics can be recovered in a form potentially suit-
able for immediate reuse. For example, removed organics could
be burned for energy in a power plant. Reclamation of waste
organics is an important benefit, as recovered materials could be
used as resources instead of disposed of as wastes.
This combination of benefits may result in a more cost-effective
alternative to currently available treatment technologies for low-
level VOC-contaminated groundwater.
Waste Applicability: Ambersorb 563 adsorbent is applicable
to any water stream containing contaminants that can be treated
with GAC, such as 1,2-dichloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane,
tetrachloroethene, vinyl chloride, xylene, toluene, and other VOCs.
Pilot Plant Test Results: The Ambersorb technology demon-
stration was conducted by Roy F. Weston, Inc. at the former
Pease Air Force Base, Newington, NH The groundwater con-
tained vinyl chloride, 1,1-dichloroethene, and trichloroethene. The
field study was conducted over a 12 week period. The tests
included four service cycles and three steam regenerations. The
effluent from the Ambersorb adsorbent system consistently met
Drinking Water Standards. Onsite steam regeneration demon-
strated that the adsorption capacity of the Ambersorb system
remained essentially unchanged following regeneration and mul-
tiple service cycles.
Steam supply
(regeneration
cycle)
Treated water
Saturated
aqueous
phase
Contaminated
groundwater
Figure 1. Ambersorb ® 563 adsorbent.
Concentrated
organic phase
Printed on Recycled Paper
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A project summary and compete report have been
«ra- bG available ;n the near future.
For
EPA PriXjs-cf Manager
lo^aid Tumef
J.S. EPA
-ask Reduction
;€ Wef: Martin Luther K
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