Radiolytic Dechlorination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Transformer Oil and in Marine Sediment

Published

November 1, 2002

Author(s)

M Chaychian, C A. Jones, Dianne L. Poster, Joseph Silverman, Pedatsur Neta, Robert E. Huie, M I. Al-Sheikhly

Abstract

Radiolytic dechlorination of PCBs in transformer oil and in marine sediments has been studied. At low PCB concentrations, complete degradation of the PCBs in transformer oil was achieved without degradation of the oil. Addition of an organic base, triethylamine, enhances the radiolytic dechlorination yield. The mechanism of dechlorination has been shown to involve electron transfer to PCBs from various aromatic radical anions formed in the irradiated oil. At high PCB concentrations, large amounts of triethylamine were necessary to achieve complete radiolytic dechlorination. Preliminary results on PCB-contaminated marine sediments demonstrate that additives such as 2-propanol increase the effectiveness of the electron beam treatment of the sediment.

Citation

Radiation Physics and Chemistry

Volume

65

Issue

No. 4-5

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

advanced oxidation technology, dechlorination, electron beam, gamma radiation, ionizing radiation, polychlorinated biphenyls, radiolysis, sediment, transformer oil

Citation

Chaychian, M. , Jones, C. , Poster, D. , Silverman, J. , Neta, P. , Huie, R. and Al-Sheikhly, M. (2002), Radiolytic Dechlorination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Transformer Oil and in Marine Sediment, Radiation Physics and Chemistry (Accessed March 17, 2025)