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 RISK REDUCTION ENGINEERING LABORATORY
(Base-Catalyzed Decomposition Process)

This vendor is participating in the EPA Superfund Innovative 
Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program.  The following technology 
profile has been reproduced from the SITE Technology Profile 
document, 7th edition.  The SITE profile has been supplemented by 
MVA Consulting Inc. using information obtained from the vendor or 
from other SITE publications, referenced at the end of this file. 


TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION:

The base-catalyzed decomposition (BCD) process is a chemical
dehalogenation technology developed by the Risk Reduction
Engineering Laboratory in Cincinnati, Ohio.  BCD is initiated in
a medium temperature thermal desorber (MTTD), at temperatures
ranging from 600 to 950 degrees Fahrenheit (oF).  Chemicals are
added to contaminated soils, sediments, or sludge matrices
containing hazardous chlorinated organics including
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polychlorinated dioxins and
furans.  BCD then chemically detoxifies the condensed organic
contaminants by removing chlorine from the contaminant and
replacing it with hydrogen. Because the chlorinated organics have
some volatility, there is a degree of volatilization that takes
place in parallel with chemical dechlori-nation.  The result is a
clean, inexpensive, permanent remedy where all process residuals
(including dehalogenated organics) are recyclable or recoverable.

ETG Environmental, Inc. (ETG), and Separation and Recovery
Systems (SRS) developed the Therm-o-Detox  and SAREX  systems and
combined them with the BCD process chemistry.  The combined
process begins by initiating solid phase dechlorination in the
MTTD step (see figure below).  Organics are thermally desorbed
from the matrix, and are condensed and sent to the BCD liquid
tank reactor.  Reagents are then added and heated to 600 to 650
oF for 1 to 3 hours to dechlorinate the remaining organics.  The
treated residuals are recycled or disposed of using standard,
commercially available methods, including solvent reuse and fuel
substitution.  Treated, clean soil can be recycled as on-site
backfill.

WASTE APPLICABILITY:

The BCD process can treat soils, sediments, and sludges con-
taminated with the following chlorinated compounds:

   Halogenated volatile organic compounds
   Halogenated semivolatile organic compounds, including
   herbicides and pesticides
   PCBs
   Pentachlorophenol (PCP)
   Polychlorinated dioxins and furans

STATUS:

The combined BCD process was successfully demonstrated at the
Koppers Company Superfund Site in Morrisville, North Carolina,
from August through September 1993.  The process removed PCP and
polychlorinated dioxins and furans from clay soils to levels well
below those specified in the Record of Decision.  As a result,
EPA Region 4 approved BCD for the full-scale site remediation.

For information on the SAREX  system, see the SRS profile in this
document.

DEMONSTRATION RESULTS:

The demonstration consisted of four replicate test runs in the
MTTD and two replicate test runs in the liquid tank reactor
(LTR).  Feed soil consisted of a dry, clayey silt which was pro-
cessed at a rate of 250 pounds per hour in the MTTD at 800 oF;
retention time was approxi-mately one hour.  The oil in each LTR
test run was batch-processed for six hours at 650 oF.

Based on preliminary analytical results, key findings from the
SITE demonstration are summarized as follows:

>  The MTTD removed 99 percent of penta-chlorophenol (PCP), and
   92 percent of dioxins and furans in the soil.

>  Treated soil met the cleanup goals of 95 parts per million
   for PCP and 7 parts per billion for dioxins and furans.

>  All semivolatile organic compounds were well below toxicity
   characteristic leaching procedure limits in treated soil.

>  The LTR batch tests reduced PCP concen-trations by 97
   percent, and dioxin and furan concentrations by 99 percent.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

EPA PROJECT MANAGER:
Terrence Lyons
U.S. EPA
Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory
26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH  45268
513-569-7589
Fax: 513-569-7676

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPER CONTACTS:
Carl Brunner
U.S. EPA
Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory
26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH  45268
513-569-7655
Fax: 513-569-7787 or 7677

Yei-Shong Shieh or Steven Detwiler
ETG Environmental, Inc.
660 Sentry Parkway
Blue Bell, PA  19422
610-832-0700Fax: 610-828-6976
__________________________________________________________

Sources of information in this profile:

EPA Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program 
        Technology Profiles Seventh Edition, November 1994. 
        EPA/540/R-94/526.

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