PCB (Aroclor 1242) mobility in soil as affected by various solvents

For the past several decades, industry has filled lagoons and landfills with significant quantities of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Other wastes such as carbon tetrachloride and various alcohols have mixed with PCBs. Soil columns spiked with Aroclor 1242 were leached with such solvents. Ninety-one days of deionized water flow did not move a detectable amount of Aroclor 1242 more than 2 cm. through soil columns. Sixty-nine days was sufficient time for an alcohol mixture to carry Aroclor 1242 over 7 cm, the soil depth of the column. Five days was sufficient time for carbon tetrachloride: ethanol to carry Aroclor 1242 the same distance. A mixture of organic solvents can promote mobility of lipophilic organics such as polychlorinated biphenyls in the soil when water alone would not be effective. While assessing the extent of a chemical spill or the contamination resulting from improper disposal, it is clear that the interactions of chemical contaminants must be considered.