Evaluation of Hydrogen/Oxygen release compounds for the remediation of VOCs

Problem statement: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) were widespread in groundwater of industrialized areas and in situ remediation intervents characterized by a high environmental compatibility were of main interest. The scope of this study was the evaluation of the potential of two innovative reagents (HRC and ORC from Regenesis) for the remediation of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The reagents respectively perform reduction and oxidation mechanisms, both effective in the degradation of VOCs. Approach: Hydrogen Release Compound (HRC) and Oxygen Release Compound (ORC) were tested about the degradation of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene (BTEX) and some Chlorinated Aliphatic compounds (CAHs). Five series of batch tests were performed with an artificial polluted aqueous phase and some soil coming from a polluted site in which natural attenuation of VOCs occurs. Results: ORC exhibited a good efficiency in degradation of BTEX and zero order model was found as a reliable approximation of experimental data (with the exceptions of benzene and toluene, for which a first order kinetic model was trustworthy), while HRC showed a good efficiency in the degradation of CAHs and a first order model consistently estimated almost all experimental data. The experimental data were modeled by means of different mathematical equations, considering zero and first order kinetics and the results were discussed and compared. Conclusions: On the grounds of the performed tests, Oxygen Release Compound (ORC) is effective in BTEX degradation and Hydrogen Release Compound (HRC) in CAHs removal.