The work described in this report is part of the studies being performed to address the fate of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in K Basin sludge before the sludge can be transferred to the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) double shell tanks. One set of tests examined the effect of hydrogen peroxide on the disposition of PCBs in a simulated K Basin dissolver solution containing 0.5 M nitric acid/1 M Fe(NO 3 ) 3 . A second series of tests examined the disposition of PCBs in a much stronger (~10 M) nitric acid solution, similar to that likely to be encountered in the dissolution of the sludge. The data strongly support the following conclusions: The PCB congeners most representative of Aroclor 1254 (the predominant Aroclor found in the sludge) are not appreciably chemically altered by solutions of nitric acid or hydrogen peroxide at reflux temperatures. Mass balances of each PCB congener in the experimental tests were compared to control experiments in which only a single chemical variable (the primary reactant) was changed. The PCB recoveries from the actual tests were generally within a few percent of the control tests in these comparisons.
Revised: June 12, 2001 |
Published: October 15, 1998