An investigation into the ultrasonic treatment of polluted solids

Granular pieces of brick impregnated with copper oxide were used as a model for contaminated soil. Washing this model substrate by passing water across the substrate on an ultrasonically shaken tray irradiation afforded a 40% reduction in copper content. This was compared with only a 6% reduction when the sample was treated under otherwise identical conditions but using a tray shaken conventionally. The majority of the copper was removed as a result of the removal of surface materials which were more heavily contaminated with the copper oxide.