PCE Volatilized from Stagnant Water and Soil

Abstract

Batch equilibrium studies are conducted under controlled laboratory conditions to determine the volatilization rate for perchloroethylene (PCE) from water and soil. The PCE is observed to volatilize rapidly from water. The rate of volatilization and the rate constant of PCE from water are found to increase with an increase in area to volume ratio but are independent of aqueous PCE concentration. Rate constants determined in this study indicate that aqueous PCE volatilizes faster from soil than from water. However, volatilization from soil depends not only on area to volume ratio but also on the presence of organic carbon and concentration of aqueous PCE applied to the soil. The greater the organic carbon of soil media content, the slower is the rate of volatilization. The rate of volatilization of pure PCE from soil is comparatively low and is greatly retarded by organic carbon content of the soil. A flux experiment is also carried out with pure PCE. The results indicate a low flux rate of submerged PCE into a stagnant water column.