Project Summary (1995-2000)

The primary objective of the project is to develop a practical, low cost and efficient process to degrade polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated waters and sediments to levels that do not pose a threat to human health or the environment. One aspect of the research focuses on laboratory experiments to assess the important photodegradation variables in water and/or sediment. In another, the design of a solar reactor for water treatment and an on-site shallow pond, photocatalytic reactor for sediment treatment is pursued. A series of on-site experiments at a General Electric (GE) and Alcoa-contaminated site was conducted to assess the viability of the photocatalytic processing.