United States
                    Environmental Protection
                    Agency
Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
                    Research and Development
EPA-600/S7-83-024 June 1983
v>EPA          Project  Summary
                    At-Sea  Incineration  of
                    PCB-Containing  Wastes
                    Onboard the  M/T  VULCANUS

                    D.G. Ackerman, J. F. McGaughey, and D.E. Wagoner
                     This report describes tests during the
                    incineration-at-sea of a shipload of
                    polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on-
                    board the M/T VULCANUS, during
                    August 1982 in the Gulf of Mexico. A
                    standard EPA-specified sampling train
                    was used to acquire samples of the
                    effluent combustion gases.  A fixed-
                    position water-cooled probe, in the
                    starboard incinerator, directed stack
                    gas to the train. Ten tests were per-
                    formed. Samples of the waste  were
                    also taken during each test.  Samples
                    were analyzed on land for PCBs, chlorc-
                    benzenes, tetrachlorodibenzofurans
                    (TCDFs), and tetrachlorodibenzo-p-
                    dioxins  (TCDDs). Other test related
                    activities included wipe-sampling and
                    onboard  analysis of these  samples,
                    acquisition of samples of work space
                    air in the incineration control room and
                    the dining room, and acquisition of
                    pertinent process related data. The var-
                    ious measures of performance met or
                    exceeded requirements of the permit.
                    Incinerator walls averaged  1303°C,
                    oxygen 10.1  percent, carbon dioxide
                    9.1 percent carbon monoxide 8 ppm,
                    combustion efficiency 99.99 percent
                    and destruction efficiencies greater
                    than  99.99  percent for PCBs  and
                    chlorobenzenes and greater than 99.9
                    percent for TCDFs.
                     This Project Summary was developed
                    by EPA's Industrial Environmental Re-
                    search Laboratory, Research Triangle
                    Park, NC, to announce key findings of
                    the research project that is fully docu-
                    mented in a separate report of the
                    same title (see Project Report ordering
                    information at back).
Introduction
  Thermal destruction of combustible
wastes at sea is an alternative to land-
based incineration. In August 1974, March
1977, and July-September 1977, testing
sponsored by U.S. Environmental Protec-
tion Agency (EPA) was performed while
the M/T VULCANUS was burning organo-
chlorine wastes. Results of these tests
were evaluated by the EPA: it was con-
cluded that oceanic incineration was an
environmentally  acceptable and cost-
effective  alternative to other  means of
disposal.
  The first at-sea incineration  of wastes
containing polychlorinated byphenyls
(PCBs) was performed in  U.S. waters
under  EPA  permit HQ-81-002 during
December 1981 - January 1982.  The
wastes were burned on the incinerator
ship M/T VULCANUS, operated by Ocean
Combustion Service (OCS) BV, Rotterdam,
The Netherlands. The wastes were sup-
plied by  Chemical Waste Management
(CWM), Inc., Oak Brook, IL, from its facility
in Emelle, AL  CWM and OCS were the
permittees. OCS is a wholly owned sub-
sidiary of CWM.
  During  August 15-31, 1982 a second
shipload of PCB-containing wastes sup-
plied by CWM was incinerated by the M/T
VULCANUS, also under research permit
HQ-81 -002. EPA sponsored a test project
during this second burn, and this docu-
ment reports the  results  of testing to
measure  emissions of unburned  PCBs,
chlorobenzenes (CBs), tetrachlorodiben-
zofurans (TCDFs), and tetrachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxins  (TCDDs).

Summary of Results
  Incineration  occurred in the Gulf of
Mexico at-sea incineration site designated

-------
   by EPA for oceanic incineration. The site is
   centered 315 km (196 mi) SSE of Gal-
   veston, TX, and 350 km (217  mi ) S of
   Cameron, LA  and occupies an area of
   about 4,900 km2 (1,890 mi2). Incinera-
   tion operations started on August 1 7 and
   were completed on August 29. The cargo
   was 3,523 metric tons (mt) (3,883 tons)
   in weight and 3,031  m3 (801,000 gal.) in
   volume. Incineration operations required
   282  hours and a total of 3,507 mt was
   destroyed.
     A standard EPA-specified sampling train
   was  used to acquire samples of the ef-
   fluent combustion gases. A fixed-position
   water-cooled probe,  mounted in the star-
   board incinerator, directed stack gas to the
   train. Ten tests were performed. Samples
   of the waste were also taken during each
   test  Samples were analyzed on land for
   PCBs, chlorobenzenes, tetrachlorodiben-
   zofurans (TCDFs), and tetrachlorodibenzo-
   p-dioxins  (TCDDs) by the Univerisy of
   Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, and the Environ-
   mental Monitoring Systems Laboratory of
   EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC (EMSL-
   RTP).
     Other test-related activities  included
   wipe-sampling and  onboard  analysis of
   these samples, acquisition of samples of
   work space air in the incineration control
   room and the dining room, and acquistion
   of pertinent process-related data.
     The various  measures of performance
   met or exceeded requirements of the per-
   mit Incineratorwall temperatures averaged
   1303°C, oxygen  10.1  percent  carbon
   dioxide 9.1 percent carbon monoxide 8
   ppm,  combustion efficiency 99.99 per-
   cent, and destruction efficiencies greater
   than 99.99 percent for PCBs and chloro-
   benzenes and greater than 99.9 percent
   for TCDFs.
          The full  report describes  the  M/T
        VULCANUS and the testing, gives results
        of the test operations and analyses, and
        presents destruction efficiencies.  There
        are nine appendices: voyage report of the
        Chief Engineer, example calculations, se-
        lected portions of research permit HQ-81 -
        002, evaluation of a heat-traced Teflon
        line, procedures for cleaning glassware,
        EPA summary of analyses of TCDFs and
        TCDDs, EPA report on  the quality assur-
        ance effort on the analyses of TCDFs and
        TCDDs,  University of  Nebraska-Lincoln
        report on the analyses of test samples for
        TCDFs and TCDDs, and Research Triangle
        Institute report on the  quality assurance
        effort on the analyses of audit samples for
        PCBs.
           D. Ackerman, J. McGaughey, andD. Wagoner are with TRW, Inc., Redondo Beach,
             CA 90278.
           Merrill D. Jackson is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
           The complete report, entitled "At-Sea Incineration of PCB-Containing Wastes
             Onboard the M/T VULCANUS," (Order No.  PB 83-207  647; Cost: $23.50,
             subject to change) will be available only from:
                  National Technical Information Service
                  5285 Port Royal Road
                  Springfield, VA 22161
                  Telephone: 703-487-4650
           The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
                  Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
                  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
                  Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Postage and
Fees Paid
Environmental
Protection
Agency
EPA 335
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
        CHICAGO  It-  60o04

-------