Thermal Desorption: A Technology Review

New and innovative technologies have been developed to treat hazardous wastes because of the high costs of remediation. One such technology is thermal desorption, which heats soils, sediments, and sludges to volatilize any contaminants present. Thermal desorption systems consist of units to heat the feedstock and secondary treatment systems to handle the off-gases generated during the heating process. This method of remediaition has been demonstrated under the EPAs Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation SITE program, thereby giving a means of evaluating the performance of the technology The different aspects of desorption processes are discussed along with an in-depth review of thermal desorption system components. This is followed by an evaluation of thermal desorption as a treatment method by reviewing how well it meets cleanup goals and how safe it is for on-site workers. Through this evaluation, it was determined that thermal desorption is able to achieve cleanup goals, but the stack exhaust may contain contaminant levels that exceed recommended exposure values. Therefore, monitoring of airborne on-site contaminant concentrations is required to ensure the safety of personnel. With proper monitoring in place, thermal desorption can be used safely and effectively at contaminated sites.