Fundamental Study of Thermal Treatment of Soil

Authors: Jerónimo Merino¹; Juliana Piña¹; Alberto F. Errazu¹; Verónica Bucalá²

Source: Soil and Sediment Contamination (formerly Journal of Soil Contamination), Volume 12, Number 3, May-June 2003 , pp. 417-441(25)

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd

Abstract:

Morphological and chemical changes exhibited by different types of soils heated to different final temperatures are reported. Beds of soils were heated (in a helium atmosphere) from 20°C to final temperatures, ranging from between 200 to 900°C, simulating ex situ thermal treatments in a nonoxidizing media. Structural changes exhibited by the soil samples during the treatments were analyzed by SEM, measurement of surface area, and measurement of particle porosity. The soil chemical transformations were quantified by means of soil weight loss, light gases yields, and carbon conversion. Soils with low organic matter content do not undergo important structural and chemical changes during the thermal treatment. On the other hand, soils with high organic carbon content suffer significant chemical modifications and, as a consequence, noticeable structural transformations. Indeed, for thermal treatments of about 900°C, weight losses as high as 22 wt%, final surface area of one order of magnitude higher than its original value (untreated soil), and changes of porosity as high as 27% were found for soils of high organic matter content. Simple mathematical equations are proposed to predict the soil weight loss and particle porosity as a function of the treatment temperature. The models provide a good fit to the experimental data.

Keywords: soil thermal decontamination; soil properties; thermal destruction; thermal desorption; soil physical structure

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1058833031878735

Affiliations: 1: Department of Chemical Engineering--PLAPIQUI, Universidad Nacional del Sur--CONICET, Camino La Carrindanga, Km 7, (8000) Bahía Blanca, Argentina., Tel: 54-291-4861700, Fax: 54-291-4861600 2: Department of Chemical Engineering--PLAPIQUI, Universidad Nacional del Sur--CONICET, Camino La Carrindanga, Km 7, (8000) Bahía Blanca, Argentina., Ext. 265; vbucala@plapiqui.edu.ar, Tel: 54-291-4861700, Fax: 54-291-4861600

Publication date: 2003-05-01

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