Professional Documents
Culture Documents
DOE
The nuclear arms race and its aftermath have created the largest
and most complex problem of environmental remediation and
waste management in U.S. history
The problem is so complicated and costly that there is a tendency
in the nuclear establishment to simply bury the problem, literally
and figuratively, creating what have been called national
sacrifice zones
The current Department of Energy (DOE) best estimate for
partial environmental restoration and waste management and
disposal is $227 billion over a 75-year period
$90 to $400 per cubic yard operating cost
Soil Washing
A technology for volume reduction of
contaminated soil
Potentially removes mixed wastes from
contaminated soil so the soil can be returned to the
original site
References
Soil Washing
Drum Washer
Coarse Fraction
Trommel
Contaminant + water
Hydrocyclones
Fine Fraction
Stirred
Tank
Chemical Additives
Stirred
Tank
Stirred
Tank
Stirred
Tank
Clean Water
Clean
Product
undesirable
complicate
Pros
closed system: controlled
conditions
significant volume
reduction of contaminated
soil
applicable to varied waste
groups
hazardous waste remains
on site
lower cost than removing
contaminated soil
Cons
no reduction in contaminant
toxicity if only physical separation
is used
potentially hazardous chemicals
used that may be difficult to
remove from soil
effectiveness limited by
properties
cation
(positive charge)
Methylene
blue properties
cation
organic
hydrophobic
can
be oxidized
Remediation Strategies
Zinc
Neutralize the negative soil charge with acid
Solubilize the metals with chelating agents
Methylene blue
Neutralize the negative soil charge with acid
Oxidize methylene blue with acid or an oxidant such as
chlorine, ozone, or hydrogen peroxide
Solubilize with a surfactant (soap) or with a solvent
Expectations
extractant
Zn
Methylene Blue
solubilize
solubilize/oxidize
problems
Environmental impact
water
acid
organic solvent
surfactants
chelating agent
oxidant
solubilize
solubilize
complex and
solubilize
oxidize
lots of ANC
in soil CO2
Would need to
neutralize acid
remove solvent
Solubilize soil
particles
complex may
sorb to soil
very reactive/
short life
Use biodegradable
surfactants
Analytical Methods
Methylene
Blue
UV-Visible
Spectrophotometer
Zinc
Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer
Each
analysis!
How can we know how much contaminant is on
it with known amount!
the soil initially? Contaminate
________________________
Soil Washing:
Potential Experiment Objectives