Demonstration of In Situ Steam and Hot-Air Stripping Technology

Abstract

Between September 5 and October 5, 1989, a field demonstration of the NovaTerra, Inc. Detoxifier (formerly called Toxic Treatment (United States)) was performed by the US EPA under the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) program. The NovaTerra Detoxifier process injects steam and hot air directly into the ground to vaporize and strip volatile and semivolatile organics. The field demonstration was performed at the GATX Annex Terminal located at the Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro, California, Approximately 17 percent of the 5.2 acre site is contaminated with chlorinated solvents, plasticizers, coatings, adhesives and paint additives, and other miscellaneous chemicals from aboveground storage tanks and transfer operations to railroad cars. The objectives of this SITE Demonstration were to determine the in situ soil concentrations before and after treatment, quantify process stream emissions (fugitive and sidestreams), determine process operating conditions, and determine if vertical migration of contaminants is occurring. Results from the SITE demonstration showed that a substantial amount of the VOCs were removed, about half the SVOCs were removed, there was very little fugitive air emissions from the operation, and what little downward migration occurred (if any) was inconsequential.