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University of California-Davis

Superfund Research Program

Thermal Remediation

Project Leader: Ian M. Kennedy
Grant Number: P42ES004699
Funding Period: 1995-2010

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Project Summary (2000-2005)

Project investigators are determining the risk to human populations as a result of the release of chlorinated by-products, such as dioxin, or heavy metals during thermal remediation at Superfund sites. The impact of the rate of mixing of waste and air on the formation of dioxins is being studied in wind tunnel experiments. Samples of by-products are being collected for analysis by the toxicology projects for the presence of dioxins. The focus of the metals research is on chromium. The hexavalent form of chromium is very toxic, whereas the other valence states are not. Hence, it is important to be able to predict the valence state of chromium emissions and to design systems to minimize the formation of the hexavalent form. This requires knowledge of the kinetics of chromium oxidation in combustion systems. A low-pressure burner is being constructed to perform experiments in a simple, laminar premixed flame that is seeded with chromium and an online mass spectrometer will measure chromium intermediates. The results will be used to tune a kinetic model of chromium oxidation for application in the design of practical systems. Modeling of the dynamics of the chromium aerosol is also being used to predict the size of the aerosol particles.

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