Pentachlorophenol-treated wood poles and crossarms: Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) results

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to develop a quantitative database on the leachable concentrations of pentachlorophenol and other organic compounds of interest from a population of pentachlorophenol-treated electric utility wood poles and crossarms through application of the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), as promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The TCLP was applied to a total of 53 wood samples derived from 16 electric utility poles and 9 crossarms. Pentachlorophenol extract concentrations ranged from below the limit of detection 0.065 mg/L to 7.8 mg/L. The mean extract concentration for all samples was 2.09 mg/L. All samples had pentachlorophenol extract concentrations well below the EPA's Toxicity Characteristic (TC) regulatory level of 100 mg/L, classifying the treated wood as nonharzadous solid waste. Several other organic compounds subject to TC regulation, including 1,4-dichlorobenzene; 2,4-dinitrophenol; hexachlorobenzene; hexachlorobutadiene; cresols (m, o, and p isomers); nitrobenzene; pyridine; 2,4,5-trichlorophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol also were measured in TCLP extracts. All of these organic compounds had extract concentrations well below their respective regulatory levels.