The fate of salt preservatives in facility yard soils and decontamination of soils and drainage waters

IRG/WP 93-50001-25

R-D Peek, H Klipp, K Brandt

Extensive studies during the past 10 to 15 years revealed that noticeable amounts of preservative components may be released in the environment by dripping off or by rain prior to fixation unless adequate precautions are taken. Therefore, soil and groundwater contamination especially from chromium-VI compounds but also from other inorganic and organic constituents exist in impregnation plants, possibly endangering the soil and groundwater ecosystem. The actual risk potential originating from chromium-containing wood preservatives in a practical situation are to be studied in the frame of a comprehensive research programme sponsored by the German Ministry of Research and Technology (BMFT). Accompanying laboratory investigations are performed with the aim of assessing the various types of water-soluble wood preservatives with respect to whether or possibly which compounds remain mobile und thus bio-available in the soil. Special attention is drawn to the question as to which effective constituents are adsorbed to soil particles depending on the mineralogical-geological composition of the soil, and at what situation the retention capacity for effective components of different soils would be exceeded. The results of the pilot study and of parallel running laboratory tests serve as a basis of deterioration analyses for grading and assessing the endangering potential in the ecosystem and shall provide a basis for the choice of adequate remedial concepts and measures to avoid such environmental impacts.


Keywords: SOIL; WATER; CONTAMINATION; ENVIRONMENT; BIOAVAILABILITY; HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY; LYSIMETER; REMEDIATION CONCEPT; CCB; CCF; CFB; Cu-HDO; Cr(VI)

Conference: 93-02-08/09 Cannes-Mandelieu, France


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