Microwave-Assisted Process (MAPTM) for the Extraction of Contaminants from Soil

Laboratory-scale tests were performed to evaluate the use of Environment Canada's patented Microwave-Assisted Process (MAPTM) for the extraction of petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated soil. The purpose of these tests was to determine the potential for using the process for large-scale processing of contaminated soil. Tests were performed using three soil types: a certified sediment and certified soil, both contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and spiked peat soil contaminated with long-chain petroleum hydrocarbons. The test methods used were based on existing MAP techniques that have been proven for the sample preparation of contaminated soils for analytical purposes. The parameters evaluated concentrated on those that are amenable to a continuous large-scale process running at atmospheric pressures. This meant using solvents that are inexpensive and readily available in large volumes, low solvent to material ratios, and optimized energy inputs. In general, it was found that mic...