UK researchers claim breakthrough in treatment of toxic waste

Scientists at Cranfield University in the UK have made what they believe is a significant technical breakthrough in the treatment of both chemically toxic waste and highly toxic carcinogenic waste which, until now, have proven either expensive or difficult to break down.

Jeff Newman, a consultant and lecturer in Environmental Biotechnology at Cranfield University and independent environmental consultant Ian Paton have been working on a new treatment process for the last five years, driven by operator demand for a more efficient and cost-effective way to treat leachates (toxic waste) from landfill sites.

According to Newman, "what is even more exciting is that this process can also be used in emergency situations for the treatment of recalcitrant toxic chemicals, such as PFOS (perfluorochyl sulphonate), which until now have been impossible to breakdown due to their extremely long and complicated molecular chains. Using our technology, PFOS now can be broken down into much smaller and more manageable chains and then ultimately we are left with just carbon dioxide, water and oxygen."

What started as an MSc student project in 2001 developed into a long-term research collaboration for the University and has involved scientists from the chemical and petrochemical industries and interest from environmental bodies.

Traditional methods of treating high BOD waste, such as leachates from landfill sites, and highly toxic waste from sources such as chemical manufacturers, is costly and time-consuming and can involve the transportation of the toxic waste to specialist treatment sites around the UK.

Newman's group uses mild steel electrodes as a source of ferrous ions, and an oscillating electrical current, which recycles ions, to reduce the amount of iron needed in the process. They add Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) to initiate the treatment process, which produces hydroxyl free radicals (OH), which are the key to the whole process.

"These free radicals are extremely reactive and very efficiently smash complicated molecular chains into smaller pieces," said Newman. "The system allows a constant flow of toxic waste through the equipment. The whole process is amazingly efficient - highly toxic and carcinogenic waste can be treated within 10 minutes, in a multi-step process into the final products oxygen, water and carbon dioxide."

The group suggests the system could be fabricated cheaply and quickly on site, or installed as a permanent treatment facility at sites such as oil platforms or landfill sites. It's also appropriate for companies that produce chemical waste eg. paint manufacturers, or, as a one-off emergency installation in extreme circumstances, Newman said.

Newman and his team are currently talking to commercial partners and water companies regarding the massive positive impact this will have on reducing toxic waste entering domestic supplies. This new technology has been independently tested according to, and conforms with, the U.K. Environment Agency's extraction standard MH0185.