Microwave remediation of soil contaminated with hexachlorobenzene

This study describes the remediation of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) contaminated soils by microwave (MW) radiation in a sealed vial. When powdered MnO2 was used as MW absorber, a complete removal of HCB was obtained with 10 min MW by the addition of H2SO4 (50%). But no significant decomposition was observed by the addition of NaOH (10 mol/L) or H2O in the same conditions. In contrast, when powdered Fe was used instead of MnO2, the difference of HCB removals between H2SO4 and NaOH were not obvious. It is noteworthy that more than 95% removal was achieved in any case when the sole aqueous solution of H2SO4, NaOH, H2O or Na2SO4 was added without MnO2 or Fe. As a result, it is possible that water itself contained in the damp soil may act as MW absorber and remediate the contaminated soil without addition of any other MW absorbers. Gas chromatograph/mass spectrum (GC/MS) analysis detected no intermediates in all the processes. The decomposition mechanism of HCB by MW radiation was suggested as the binding of HCB and soil. Whatever fragments formed from HCB by heat were tightly bound to the soil, making it impossible to extract them out. In the end, treatment of practical HCB contaminated soil by MW reduced HCB from 55.8 mg/kg to 0.91 mg/kg.