United States
               Environmental Protection
               Agency
Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
               Research and Development
EPA/600/SR-92/124  December 1992
EPA      Project  Summary
              Air Emissions from  the
              Treatment  of  Soils Contaminated
              with  Petroleum  Fuels and  Other
              Substances

              Bart Eklund, Patrick Thompson, Adrienne Inglis, and Whitney Dulaney
                This document summarizes available
              information on air emissions from the
              treatment of soils contaminated with
              fuels. It is intended to guide state and
              local air pollution  control agencies in
              the evaluation of the air emission po-
              tential of treatment of contaminated soil
              and the cost-effectiveness of applicable
              emission control  technologies.  The
              scope was limited  to the emissions of
              volatile organic compounds (VOCs);
              however, due to the limited data that
              were available,  information was also
              included for the emissions of other or-
              ganic compounds.  This additional in-
              formation is primarily from the treat-
              ment of soils contaminated with haz-
              ardous wastes.
                This Project Summary was developed
              by EPA's Air and  Energy Engineering
              Research Laboratory,  Research  Tri-
              angle Park, NC, to announce key find-
              ings of the research project that is fully
              documented in a separate report of the
              same title (see Project Report ordering
              information at back).

              Introduction
               ' Seven general approaches for the dis-
              posal or treatment of soils contaminated
              with gasoline, oil, or diesel fuel were iden-
              tified:
                •  Excavation and removal;
                •  Thermal desorption;
                •  Soil vapor extraction (SVE);
                •  In-Situ biotreatment (e.g., land treat-
                  ment);
                •  Ex-Situ (batch)  biotreatment;
  • On-site incineration; and
  • Soil washing/solvent extraction.
Each general approach may include sev-
eral options.  For example, thermal des-
orption may be performed in portable units
designed for soil treatment or in rotary
drum aggregate dryers that are part of
asphalt plants or other industrial facilities.
  Literature pertaining to the emissions of
VOCs for each remediation approach was
identified and reviewed. The summarized
information was organized into the same
ten-part format for each approach:
  • Process description;
  • Identification of air emission points;
  • Identification of typical air emission
   species of concern;
  • Summary of published air emissions
   data;
  • Identification of applicable control
   technologies;
  • Cost data for the overall remediation
   approach;
  • Cost data for the emission controls;
  • Equations and models for estimating
   VOC emissions;
  • Case  study  of  the  use  of  the
   remediation approach; and
  • References.
For most of the technologies  examined,
VOC emission estimates or measured data
were  found.  Emission factors, in grams
per hour, were identified or developed that
are based on  available data as well as
assumed "typical" operating conditions for
                                                             Printed on Recycled Paper

-------
the remediation of relatively large sites.
Cost data, in dollars per ton or cubic yard
of soil treated, were obtained from a vari-
ety of sources, but data from prior to 1986
were generally avoided due to changes in
remediation technology, standard operat-
ing practices,  and regulations in  recent
years.   All cost data were converted to
1991 dollars using a 5% annual escala-
tion factor.
   Certain limitations of the data presented
in this document should be considered
before  extrapolations are  made to  a spe-
cific site.  Any generalized guidance  has
inherent limitations due to the variety of
she- and process-specific factors that may
be encountered.   Many  of the cleanup
processes are emerging technologies  and
have short operating histories.  For these
technologies, data on air emissionsrtreat-
 ment  effectiveness,  and costs are very
 limited.   Furthermore, each site  has its
 own unique obstacles to cleanup that may
 force  modifications to the cleanup  hard-
 ware or operating conditions. The devel-
 opment of typical air emission  rates and
 emission factors applicable  to  the maxi-
 mum  number of site conditions and site
 locations required assumptions regarding
 the rate and scope of the cleanup effort,
 the type of fuel being treated, the  number
 and nature of  emission release  points,
 etc. The more a specific site differs from
 the assumed conditions,  the  less  likely
 that the  generalized air emissions data
 will be applicable.
   Data gaps  were  identified  and future
 research topics  were suggested.  In gen-
 eral,  only limited information  was found
-for— air-emissions-from-the-treatmant-of
contaminated soil.   The  need for  more
data is greatest for emerging technologies
and those that are  area sources of VOC
emissions.   The general needs  are  for
more  emissions data, more control cost
and effectiveness data, and accurate emis-
sion models. The most important research
needs that were identified during this study
were:

  • VOC emission rate data for excava-
    tion;
  • Theoretical models to estimate VOC
    emissions from excavation;
  • Cost and  effectiveness'data  of area
    source emission controls;  and
  • Fate studies for VOCs in biotreatment
    systems.
    B. Eklund, P. Thompson, A. Inglis, and W. Dulaneyare with Radian Corp. Austin,
      TX 78720-1088.
    Susan A. Thorneloe  is the EPA Project Officer (see  below).
    The complete report, entitled "Air Emissions from the Treatment of Soils Contami-
      nated with Petroleum Fuels and other Substances," (Order No. PB92- 212 976/
      AS;  Cost: $35.00; subject to change)  will be available only from:
            National Technical Information Service
            5285 Port Royal Road
            Springfield, VA22161
            Telephone: 703-487-4650
    The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
            Air and Energy Engineering 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

 Official Business
 Penalty for Private Use
 $300
                                                     BULK RATE
                                               POSTAGE & FEES PAID
                                                        EPA
                                                  PERMIT No. G-35
 EPA/600/SR-92/124

-------