ABFA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response Technology Innovation Office EPA/540/M-91/005 No. 7 December 1991 BilgillV The applied technologies journal for Superfund removals and remedial actions and RCRA corrective actions Don't Miss Special Supplement to tecfe Trends ou wilt notice that this edition Tech Trend$ contains an insert on "innovations m Monitoring and Measurement Technologies", Although the focus of Tech Trends is usually on innovative cleanup technologies ready for field application, we also wantto bring yog news of other Innovative tools that can assist you In emergency response, remediation and corrective action. So, we include a special Insert that highlights a multimedia lead risk assessment model, afield-portable monitoring system that links up to an onsite computerized locating system and improved metals'sampling techniques for groundwater, - - Also, dont miss the description ol the Cleanup Information Bulletin Board System (CLU-IN) on page 4 of the supplement^ CLLMN is designed for hazardous waste cleanup professionals to use for finding current events Information about innovative technologies, consulting with one'another online and [ accessing data .bases,' I i : dS> Printed on Recycled Paper PCBs Destroyed by Combining Thermal & Chemical Treatments by Paul de Percin, (v~~\" Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory Q PCBs rr" I Anaerobic aerobic thermal processor (ATP) technology involves a l$i processor physical separation process that thermally desorbs organics xr^ such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from soil and Soil and sludge sludge. The ATP process is being used in conjunction with V. ^ dehalogenation to chemically destroy PCBs in the soil at the Wide Beach Development Site hi Brant, New York. The technology can also be applied to many other types of or- ganic contaminants. ATP was developed by Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority and is licensed by SoilTech, Inc. At Wide Beach, the transportable ATP unit processes about 10 tons of contaminated soil per hour. The ATP system heats and mixes contaminated soils, sludges and liquids in a unit that uses indirect heat for processing. The processor contains four separate internal thermal zones: the preheat, retort, combustion and cooling zones. For this demonstration, the contaminated soils are sprayed with a diesel fuel and oil mixture, containing alkaline polyethylene glycol (APEG) reagents before entering the preheat zone. The oil mixture acts as a carrier for the dehalogenation reagents. In the preheat zone, water and volatile organic compounds (VOC) vaporize. At the same time, the reagents dehalogenate or chemically break down chlorinated compounds (including PCBs). The vaporized contaminants and water are removed via a vacuum to a (see PCS page 2) Innovative Treatment!! Selected for Superfund Sites Contaminated by PCBs > .o 1 Q Q O DC "5 Dechlorination In Situ Solvent Thermal Bloremediatlon In Situ Flushing Extraction Desorptlon Vitrification ------- SITE Subjects Flame Reactor for Hecpry Metdls by Marta Richards, Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory m Metals Flame Reactor Industrial residues • he Horsehead Resource Development (HRD) Company, Inc., Flame Reactor is a patented and proven high temperature thermal process that safely treats industrial residues and wastes containing met- als. As a Superfund Innovative Technology Evalua- tion (SITE) Demonstration, approximately 72 tons of waste material containing heavy metals from the Na- tional Smelting and Refining site in Atlanta, Georgia, were successfully treated with the HRD Hame Reactor. The waste material was a granular secondary lead smelter blast furnace soda slag containing approximately 15.0% carbon, 10.3% iron, 12.2% sodium, 5.3% sulfur, 5.4% lead, 5% silicon, 2.5% chlorine, 0.4% zinc, 0.05% arsenic, 0.04% cadmium and approximately 15.0% water. ; For this SITE demonstration the material was dried and passed through a hammermill prior to treatment. This demonstration testing vfas run with natural gas. At high temperatures inside the HRD Flame Reactor, ttie volatile metals in the waste were volatilized and the organic compounds wereidestroyed, leaving a non-leachable slag containing the non-volatile metals and gases, including steam and volatile metal vapors. The metal vapors further reacted and cooled in the combustion chamber and cooling system to produce a metal-enriched oxide that was collected in a baghouse. The resulting metal oxides can be recycled to re- cover the metals. Results from the demonstration are quite good. Although samples of raw feed failed the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) test due to high cadmium and lead levels, all samples of pro- cessed waste slag passed the TCLP test for all metals. The processed waste slag can be used as fill material. Lead and zinc were concentrated in the baghouse dust, which potentially could be recycled for its lead content The process showed better than 90 percent recovery for both lead and zinc. The lead and zinc concentrations in the waste feed, the baghouse dust and the separator slag are shownbelow. • < .; i ! Waste Feed Slag • Baghouse Total Metal (% weight) (% weight) < (% weight) Lead 5.4 0.6 j 17.4 Zinc 0.4 0.2 ,. ; 1.4 Overall, the weight of the waste was reduced by approximately 30%, largely due to removal of water and carbon during pretreatment and treatment. SO2 emissions were high due to the amount of sulfur in the waste, but the SO2 emis- sions could readily be controlled with the use of a scrubber. | The HRD Flame Reactor technology can potentially be! applied to many types of granular solids, soil, flue dust, slag and sludge containing high concen- trations of heavy metals and hazardous organics. ; An Applications Analysis Report and a Technology Evaluation Report de- scribing the complete HRD SITE Demonstration will be available in the Spring of 1992. For more information now, call Marta Richards at>the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory on FTS 684-7783 or 513-569-7783. PCB (from page 1) preheat vapor cooling system consisting of a cy- clone, condenser and a three-phase preheat separa- tor. The noncondensed light organic vapors are then fed by a blower directly into the combustion chamber of the processor. The oil fraction is re- cycled to a reagent blending tank, and recovered water is sent to the onsite treatment system. From the preheat zone, the hot, granular sol- ids pass through a sand seal to the retort zone. Here, heavy oils vaporize and thermal cracking of hydrocarbons forms coke and low molecular weight gases. The vapor stream from the retort zone is removed via a vacuum and passes first through a two-stage pair of cyclones to remove en- trained particles. These dusts and fines are blended with the treated soil. The vapor is then cooled by oil circulating in two packed columns, acting as a two-stage direct contact condenser for the higher boiling point compounds. The uncondensed va- pors are then cooled in a water-cooled noncontact condenser and pass through a three-phase separa- tor. The final noncondensable gases are returned to the combustion chamber. The oil phase is com- bined with the condensate from the packed col- umns. This oil condensate is then sent to the re- agent blending unit to mix with the APEG re- agents. The blend is pumped at a measured rate and is applied to the untreated soils in the feed chute of the processor. Condensed water is pumped directly to the onsite treatment system. The coked soils pass through a second sand seal into the combustion zone. Here the coked soils are combusted and either recycled to the re- tort zone or sent to be cooled hi the cooling zone. Flue gas from the combustion zone is treated in a system consisting of a cyclone and baghouse that removes participates, a scrubber that removes acid gases and a carbon adsorption bed that removes trace organics. The treated flue gas is then dis- charged to tiie atmosphere through a stack. Treated soils exiting the cooling zone are quenched with scrubber water and are then transported by conveyor to an outside storage pile. The ATP unit removed over 99% of the PCBs hi the contaminated soil (original concentra- • tions of 50 to 100 parts per million), resulting in PCB levels below the desired cleanup concentra- tion of 2 ppm. The ATP does not appear to create dioxins or furans. Additionally, no volatile or semivolatile organic degradation products or leachates were detected hi the treated soil. For more information, call Paul de Percin at the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory on FTS 684-7797 or 513-569-7797. ------- A Supplement to TECH Htf!if0£ December 1991 Innovations in ^•WK. JwWw»^BBF^Wi^8PTMFwl ^tiF WWl^tJP' MJBIW innovative Site investigation techniques are of increasing interest to those attempting to reduce the cost and increase the effectiveness of site remediation. This is one of a series of occasional supplements to Tech frewcfe, , the applied technologies , f ournal for Superftind remov«" als and remedial actions and RCRA corrective actions. U*S» Environmental Protection Agency Otflee of Solid Waste and emergency Response -Technology Innovation Office Walter W* Kovalick, fr^ ph,D, Director ;,- Field-Ready Hardware Links Portable XRF with Automated Locating Systems By William Engelmann, Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory EPA now has field-ready hardware that links the field portable X-ray fluorescence (FP-XRF) analyzers of inorganic (metallic) compounds with automated locating (geographical-positioning) systems. This link has the potential of truly revolutionizing FP-XRF operations. The analyst can see a "growing picture" of the "hot spots" or "hills" on the contour diagram as it is developed on a computer screen on-site. Further, the ability to gather additional data points, as needed, while still in the field is another major advantage over earlier field screening methods. Thus, the systems can gather field analytical data in real time at the site and keep computer files of the coordinate points of the measurement. The automated locating system was developed earlier by Oak Ridge National Labora- tory, which named it the ultrasonic ranging and data system (USRADS). USRADS is made up of a surveyor's backpack, several tripod- mounted receiver modules and a master receiver-computer system, located in a van or trailer. The backpack, worn by a surveillance member, transmits data ultrasonically to the receiver-computer. Up to see XRF Links, page 3 Lead Risk Assessment Model Helps Set Multimedia Cleanup Standard By Harlal Choudhury, Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office, Cincinnati, and Christina Haviland, Labat Anderson, Inc. EPA has developed a Lead Uptake/Biokinetic (UBK) Model that is used to assess human health risk based on multimedia lead contamination. Lead is a common contaminant at Superfund sites. However, it has been difficult to assess health risk from lead because of the complexity of the issues. Now, the UBK model provides a method for'predicting blood lead levels in populations exposed to lead through multiple pathways. The see UBK, page 3 ------- A Supplement to ffiCif flf f NfXIS December 1991 Improved Metals Sampling Techniques for Groundwater By Robert Puls, Robert S. Kern Environmental Research Laboratory EPA has tested sampling tech- niquesfor inorganics in ground- water that minimize the distur- bance ofthesubsurfaceground- water environment. This has plagued the acquisition of rep- resentative and accurate heavy metal concentrations for risk assessments at hazardous waste sites. Intuitively, itmakessense to minimize disturbance of the sampling zone to obtain repre- sentative and accurate data and excessive turbidity has been the most common manifesta- tion of disturbance. Excessive pumping or purging relative to local hydrogeological conditions is the most common cause of artificial turbidity. Aeration and oxidation can be both causes and effects of excessive turbidity. EPA's Robert S. Kerr Envi- ronmental Research Laboratory (RSKERL) has field tested sam- pling techniques that call for: (1) isolating the sampling zone with inflatablepackerstomini- mize purge volume; (2) pump- ing at a low flow rate to mini- mize aeration and turbidity; (3) monitoring water quality parameters while purging to establish baseline or steady- state conditions to initiate sam- pling; (4) maximizing pump tub- ing thickness and minimizing length to exclude atmospheric gases; and, (5) using filtration for estimating [dissolved species and collection of unfiltered samples for estimates of contaminant mobility. The above sampling techniques were evaluated at three geologi- cally-differentsites. The Final Creek Site in Arizona, contaminated with copper mining wastes, is an upland, extremely heterogenous alluvial aquifer with sediment sizes ranging from fine sand to coarse gravel. The Saco, Mairie, Site, contaminated with chromium waste from a leather tannery, consists of glacial till de- posits underlain by a sloping frac- tured bedrock surface. The Eliza- beth City, North Carolina, Site, con- taminated with acidic chromium wastes from a chrome plating shop, is on Atlantic coastal plain sedi- ments characterized by complex and variable sequences of surficial sands, silts and clays. Results showed that, in wells deeper than 30 feet, a blad- der pump was most successful in producing representative and repro- ducible resjjlts, regardless of filter poresize. In shallow wells less than 30 feet deep, a peristaltic pump consistently produced the most reproducible results. Pumping rate was the single most impor- tant parameter affecting equili- brated turbidity values and con- taminant concentrations. Equili- brated turbidity levels observed at the three sites ranged from 1 to 58 nephelometric turbidity units. Turbiditydifferenceswere strongly related to geology and water chemistry. A down-hole camera was used during purging and sam- plingto evaluate the disturbance caused by pump tubing em- placement and pumping down- hole. Little impactwas observed when a peristaltic pump was turned on after both the pump tubing and the camera had been left in the screened interval over night. Emplacement of the cam- era itself created the greatest tur- bidity and required overnight reequilibration in the absence of pumping. The demonstration results strongly argue for dedicated sam- plingequipmentandtechniques. For more information, call Bob Puls at RSKERL on FTS 743-2262 or 405-332-8800. ------- A Supplement to TM€H TRSN&S December 1991 UBK from page 1 blood lead levels can then be used to guide risk assessors in determining cleanup levels that will protect current and future populations at the site. Infants and young children are the most vulnerable popula- tions exposed to lead and are the focus of EPA's risk assess- ment efforts. Both behavioral and environmental data are needed to run the model. Be- havioral data include the time the population spends indoors vs. outdoors, gardening habits, the consumption of produce grown on site and pica behavior. Environ- mental data include lead concen- trations in indoor air, outdoor air, drinking water, soil and dust. Sev- eral age-specific default parameters are used including breathing vol- ume, soil intake and percent lead absorption via different pathways. These defau It val ues along with the site specific data are used to calcu- late route-specific lead uptakes. The sum of all these route-specific up- takes isthetotal lead uptake, which is applied to the model's curve to predict blood lead levels. The UBK model has been tested at several Superfund sites since its inception, including the Bunker Hill Site in Region X. Bunker Hill is an inactive smelter site located in a residential area. Lead contami- nation has been found in the soil as well as in area homes. Media- specific lead concentrations are being used with the UBK model to define an appropriate reme- dial design for the site. The UBK model is under EPA Science Advisory Board review, and draft copies are available for use at Superfund sites through the EPA's ten Regional offices. For more information, contact Harlal Choudhury at EPA's Envi- ronmental Criteria and Assess- ment Office at FTS 684-7536 or 513-569-7536. XRF Links fro>m page 1 15 tripod-mounted stationary units can be set up around the perimeter of the site. Each has an ultrasonic receiver and a radio transmitter. Any one of these modules can receive ul- trasonic data signals and each has a unique radio-transmitting frequency to allow the master receiver to identify which unit received the ultrasonic signal. The master receiver has 15 radio receivers, each tuned for a correspond- ing stationary module. Finally, atrans- ceiver allows voice communication between the surveyor who walks the site and the receiver-computer op- erator in the mobile van. This advanced version of USRADS can link up with other ana- log analytical devices as well. In addition, another interface within the master receiver allows connec- tion to any personal computer with- out the need for a computer inter- face card. This allows any IBM- compatible computer to be di- rectly connected, including lap top portables (most of which have no expansion slot for plug-in in- terface cards). The advanced prototype of the USRADS is expected to be delivered to EPA's Environmen- tal Monitoring Systems Labora- tory-Las Vegas (EMSL-LV) by late 1991. For information, contact William Engelmann, EMSL-LV on FTS 545-2664 or 702-798-2664. ------- Cleanup Information Bulletin Board November 11991 EPA The Cleanup Information Bulletin Board System (CLU-IN) is designed for hazard- ous waste cleanup professionals to use for finding current events information about innpvative technologies, consulting with one another online, and accessing databases. CLU-IN is used by those involved in the cleanup of Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act corrective action sites, including EPA, other Federal Agency and State personnel, consulting engineers, technology vendors, remediation contractors, researchers, community groups, and individual citizens. j Features of CLU-IN i • Electronic message capabilities (which may be communicated to large audi- ences or to individual users, depending on the preference of the sender) • Bulletins that can be read online (such as summaries of Federal Register notices on hazardous wastes, descriptions and listings of EPA documents, a calendar of EPA training programs, directories of EPA experts on|hazardous waste cleanup, and articles from Tech Trends, EPA's newsletter on innovative technologies) • Files that can be downloaded for use on the user's own computer (directories, databases, models, a listing of National Priorities List1 sites, and documents such as abstracts of selected Superfund directives and reports and the Innovative Treatment Technologies Semi-Annual Status Report)] • Online databases that can be searched on CLU-IN (such as a databases of EPA technical experts and training course announcements) Special Interest Group Areas CLU-IN also has a number of special interest groups (SIGs) or sub-areas with all the capabilities listed above, but limited to a specific subjett. Some SIGs are open to all users while others are limited to a specified group di users. Security is deter- mined by the SIC Moderator. Examples of SIGs currently on CLU-IN are: • Groundwater and Engineering Forums j • On-Scene Coordinators/Removal Actions | • Innovative Technologies How to Log On i To log onto CLU-IN, you need a computer, a modem, la phone line, and telecom- munications software (such as CrossTalk™, Procomm1^, or SmartCom™). Set your communications parameters to 8 data bits, no parity, ahd 1 stop bit. The phone number is 301 -589-8366. If you have trouble logging on, either through your modem or through a LAN system or data switch, contact the System Operator (SYSOP) at 301-589-8368. ' or The CLU-IN Bulletin Board was formerly known as tpe Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) Bulletin Board. [ ------- Bforennedidtion Infernintien in the ATfIC by Curtis Harlin, Office of Research and Development W hris Hibberd is a project manager for BIOREM Corporation. BIOREM works in collaboration with the Microbial Biotech- nology Laboratory at the University of Waterloo to develop and enhance the unique biodegradation capabilities of micro- organisms for the bioremediation of toxic organic wastes. Chris frequently checks ATTIC for any new information on bioremediation or related topics. He recently contacted ATTIC to find information on slurry biodegradation and was able to download many abstracts regarding slurry biodegradation as well as a Superfund Engineering Bulletin. Slurry biodegradation has been shown to be effective in treating highly contaminated soils and sludges for a wide range of organic contaminants including pesticides, fuels, creosote, PCP, PCBs, and some halogenated volatile organics. BIOREM maintains a file library of bioremediation information obtained from ATTIC and other sources for use in its research. Chris also checks the Bioremediation Special Interest Group on the ATTIC Bulletin Board to keep track of new technologies and ideas. If you would like to access ATTIC online, dial 301-670-3808 or contact the System Operator at 301-670-6294. Heavy Metdls in Seiis and Sludfpes Heittoveel with Plasma Centrifugal Furnciee by Laurel Staley, Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory Hie major components of Retech's process are the plasma torch, a rotating reactor well, an afterburner, a secondary combustion chamber and an off-gas treatment system. Contaminated soil is placed in a bulk screw feeder and gradu- ally fed into me rotating reactor well. At Butte, the soil was fed to the furnace at the rate of ap- proximately 1:20 pounds per hour. Solid mate- rial was retained in the tub by centrifugal force while a plasma arc heated the material to about 3000° F. At this temperature, organic contami- nation was volatilized from the soil. Any com- bustible gases remaining after volatilization and oxidation were incinerated by the afterburner lo- cated downstream of the reactor well. Atthe end of the process, the molten mass of treated solids flowed through the secondary chamber and into a slag collection chamber. The exhaust from the furnace is passed through a gas treatment system that consists of a quench tank, a venturi scrubber, a packed-bed scrubber and a demister. A mildly caustic solu- tion is supplied to the quench tank and scrubbing unit to help remove acidic gases and particulates in the off-gas. Moisture droplets entrained in the flow are removed by the demister. A stack blower maintains a vacuum on the system and i he Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Demonstration program recently evaluated Retech, lhc.'s plasma centrifugal furnace at the Department of Energy's ComponentDevelopment and In- tegration Facility in Butte, Montana. Retech's process is a thermal technology that uses heat generated by a plasma torch to de- contaminate soils and sludges containing heavy metals and organic hazardous com- pounds by melting metal-bearing solids. In the process, it thermally destroys organic contaminants. The molten soil, when cooled, forms a hard, glass-like non-leach- able mass. At the demonstration in Butte, the waste consisted of soil from the Silver Bow Creek Superfund Site spiked with con- taminants for the demonstration. Contami- nants were at or above the following levels: 28,000 parts per million (ppm) zinc oxide and 1,000 ppm hexachlorobenzene mixed in a 90/10 weight ratio with No. 2 diesel oil. The zinc oxide was added as a tracer metal to determine the teachability of the slag. Hexachlorobenzene was the Principal Or- ganic Hazardous Constituent (POHC) used to determine organic destruction. Metals and organics Plasma Centrifugal Furnace Soil and sludge draws the clean gases into the ex- haust stack. ^ "" The destruction and removal efficiency of the POHC was greater than 99.99% (based on detection limits) in all of the tests. The so- lidified treated soil was non-leachable for both organic and inorganic compounds that were leachable in the waste feed. A high per- centage of the metals from the feed soil were captured and retained in the vitreous slag. An average of 0.374 grains per dry standard cu- bic foot (dscf) of paniculate were emitted in the stack gas throughout the three tests. This exceeds the Resource Conservation and Re- covery Act regulatory limit of 0.08 grains/ dscf; so, additional air emission controls would have to be used. Additionally, NOx controls may be required. A Technical Evaluation report and an Applications Analysis Report describing the complete demonstration will be available in the Summer of 1992. For more information now, call Laurel Staley at the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory on FTS 684-7863 or 513-569-7863. ------- New for the Bookshelf \ Innovative Treatment Technologies: Semi-Annual Sta- tus Report. Documents the selection and use of innova- i live treatment in the Superfund program. Document No. EPA/540/2-91/001 > I Fate of Poly chlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Soil Pol- i lowing Stabilization with Quicklime. Reports on EPA in- vestigation conducted to verify claims that use of quick- j lime alone can promote decomposition of PCBs. i Document No. EPA/600/2-91/052 I Recent EPA publications are available from ORD's Center for Environmental Research Infor- mation (CERI) in Cincinnati. You can order them electronically on the CLU-IN Bulletin Board or | directly from CERI. To contact CERI's Publica- i ttons Unit, call FTS 684-7562 or 513-569-7562. ! You must have the EPA document number or the exact title to order a document. i Conference Alert Bioremedidtion Satellite Semincir Januarys, 1992 Together with the Hazardous Waste Action Coali- tion, and in cooperation with EPA, the Department of Energy, and a number of other professional organi- zations, the Air and Waste Management Association is producing a video conference on bioremediation which will be sent via satellite to more than 80 video conference sites across the U.S. and Canada. You can register to attend at a ssite near your office. For more information, phone Bob Hurley, Air and Waste Management Association at 412-232-3444. To order additional copies of this or previous issues of Tech Trends, can the publications unit at CERI (513) 569-7562 or FTS 684-7562 and refer to the document number on the cover of the Issue, To be Included on the permanent mailing list for Tech Trends, call 703-308-8800. st/'£"h-i ^ ,,„ /; Tech Trends welcomes readers' comments, suggestions for future articles and contributions. Address correspondence to; Managing Ed!tot?Teeh Trends (O&110W)> U.S. Environmental.Protection Agency, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20460. United States Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Research Information Cincinnati OH 45268 BULK RATE POSTAGE & FEES PAID EPA PERMIT No. G-35 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 EPA/540/M-91/005 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1991-648-003/40659 ------- |