Application of electrokinetic Fenton process for the remediation of soil contaminated with HCB

Electrokinetic remediation coupled with Fenton oxidation, widely called as Electrokinetic Fenton process, is a potential soil remediation technique used for low permeable soil. The applicability of the process has been proved with soil contaminated with a wide range of organic compounds from phenol to the most recalcitrant ones such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and persistent organic pollutants.This chapter summarizes the major findings observed during an Electrokinetic Fenton Process study conducted for the remediation of low permeable soil contaminated with hexachlorobenzene (HCB), a typical hydrophobic organic contaminant. Model low permeable soil, kaolin, was artificially contaminated with HCB and subjected to electrokinetic Fenton treatments in a series of laboratory-scale batch experiments. The use of cyclodextrins as an enhancement agent to mobilize the sorbed contaminant through the system was investigated. Major process hindrances such as the oxidant availability and treatment duration were also addressed. The HCB degradation along with other parameters like soil pH, redox, and cumulative catholyte flow was analyzed and monitored.The results of the experiments strengthen the existing knowledge on electrokinetic Fenton process as a promising technology for the treatment of soil contaminated with hydrophobic organic compounds. It has been demonstrated that HCB sorbed to kaolin can be degraded by the use of high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide during such processes. The overall system performances were observed to be influenced by the point and mode of oxidant delivery. Furthermore, the study contributes to new knowledge in shortening the treatment duration by adopting an electrode polarity reversal during the process.