Abstract
Background Organic pollutants formed during thermal treatment of oil shale and then released from the solid waste (semicoke) to aquatic life are a major concern in Estonia. Efficient environmentally friendly techniques are being sought for the analysis of soil and sediments for pollutants and for the clean up of contaminated areas. The altered physico-chemical properties of pressurised hot water can be exploited in the extraction of organics from solid samples. For example, the relative permittivity, hydrogen bonding ability and viscosity of water are decreased and diffusivity is increased with temperature. In addition, water is environmentally friendly, cheap, non-flammable and readily available. In small-scale or pilot-scale operations, pressurised hot water extraction (PHWE) can also be used in the purification of contaminated soil and sediments.
Published Version
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