title: China action of "Cleanup Plan for Polychlorinated Biphenyls Burial Sites": emissions during excavation and thermal desorption of a capacitor-burial site.
abstract: Scarce data are available so far on emissions in a given scenario for excavation and thermal desorption, a common practice, of soils contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). As part of China action of "Cleanup Plan for PCBs Burial Sites", this study roughly estimated PCBs emissions in the scenario for a capacitor-burial site. The concentrations of total PCBs (22 congeners) in soils were in the range of 2.1-16,000μg/g with a mean of 2300μg/g, among the same order of magnitude as the highest values obtained in various PCBs-contaminated sites. Only six congeners belonging to Di-, Tri-, and Tetra-CBs were observed above limits of detection in air samples in the scenario, partially which can be estimated by the USEPA air emission model. Comparing concentrations and composition profiles of PCBs in the soil and air samples further indicated a leaked source of commercial PCBs formulations of trichlorobiphenyl (China PCB no. 1). The measures taken if any to mitigate the volatilization and movement of PCBs and to minimize worker exposure were discussed for improvements of the excavation practice.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Lingli
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Nandong
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Fasheng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guanglong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Yunzhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000592:standards*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Capacitor; Emission; Excavation; Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); Scenario