THE MANY TIES BETWEEN LSUs EPA CENTER OF EXCELLENCE HAZARDOUS WASTE RESEARCH CENTER AND THE GULF COA

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THE MANY TIES BETWEENLSUs EPA CENTER OF
EXCELLENCEHAZARDOUS WASTE RESEARCH CENTERAND
THEGULF COAST HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE RESEARCH
CENTER
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GULF COAST HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE RESEARCH CENTER

• Authorized in 1988
• Consortium of NINE Universities

• LAMAR UNIVERSITY - WILLIAM CAWLEY / ALAN FORD
  
  / JACK HOPPER / RICHARD DOBBS /
  T.C.HO

• THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RAY LOEHR

• TEXAS AM UNIVERSITY AYDIN AKGERMAN
  / BILL BACHELOR

• THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DENNIS CLIFFORD
  
  / BILL RIXEY

• RICE UNIVERSITY HERB WARD

• LSU LOUIS THIBODEAUX / DAVE CONSTANT

• MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY DON HILL
  / DENNIS
  TRUAX

• THE UNIVERISITY OF ALABAMA ATLY JEFCOAT
  / GARY APRIL

• CENTRAL FLORIDA UNIVERSITY DAVID COOPER
  / MANOJ CHOPRA

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Date Nov 10,1984 Letter From Dr. Louis J.
Thibodeaux Director, Hazardous Waste Research
Center 2514 CEBA. Review of Lamar's Proposal to
create the Hazardous Waste Alternatives
Center. The Lamar HWRC if funded will change
the complexion of Lamar university significantly.
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PHONE MESSAGE FROM Dr. THIBODEAUX
Date Nov 14,1984 Time 915 AM Phone Message
Please call Dr Louis
Thibodeaux at LSU (504) 386 -6770
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1989 1994 LSU 015 Cartledge, Frank
  Solidification Of Salts Of As,
• 
  Tittebaum,Martin Cr,and Pb
  Using Cement And
• 
  Eaton,Harvill Various
  Additives

The test procedures will give practical
information about means to improve the
immobilization process and provide a starting
point for understanding the mechanisms by which
the additives influence solidification/stabilizati
on.
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments Type I
Portland cement (OPC) has broad effectiveness for
immobilizing metal ions, and certain deficiencies
of OPC can be corrected using additives.Chromium(V
I) is poorly immobilized in all binder/additive
systems investigated, but leachability can be
greatly decreased by in-situ reduction with Fe
(II) salts.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1989 1992 LSU 101 Dooley,Kerry High
  Pressure Solvent Extraction
• 
  Knopf,Carl And Catalytic
  Oxidation of
• Hazardous Wastes From Aqueous
• Streams

To develop a comprehensive understanding of the
supercritical fluid(SCF) extraction of
contaminants from aqueous streams, and subsequent
catalytic oxidation of the high pressure
solvent/contaminant mixture.Results for the
removal of benzene,m-cresol,p-chlorophenol and
phenol from water are reported here.
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments Supercritical
fluid extraction (SCFE) for the removal of
organic toxins from water has been studied using
a continuous-flow view cell system.These results
have been accurately modeled using a
hardsphere,perturbation-theory-based
Carnahan-Starling-DeSantis-Redlich-Kwong equation
of state and simple van der Waals mixing rules.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1989 1992 LSU 127 Shane,Barbara
  Site Remediation Of Contaminated
• 
  Portier, Ralph Wetlands Chemical
  Characterization, Overton,Edward
  Biotreatment and Waste Minimization
  Irvin,Rick And Rapid
  Toxicity Assay
• Sharp,Thomas(tam)
  Development

Objective of this joint LSU Texas AM project
is to develop a biodegradation-based hazardous
waste site remediation system employing
short-term toxicity assay systems and an
innovative analytical technology,thermal
chromatography-mass spectrometry (TC MS), to
monitor progress of degradation of the wastes.
Bayou dInde will be used as the model hazardous
waste site.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1992 1994 LSU 225 Acar,Yalcin
  Fundamental Aspects Of
  Electrokinetic
• 
  Gale,Robert Remediation of
  Soils

Electrokinetic Soil Processing is an emerging
technology . The method uses DC currents in the
order of mA/cm² of electrode area to
remove/separate inorganic/organic contaminants
from soil. On-going projects awarded by the
National Science Foundation and the Environmental
Protection Agency at LSU aim to investigate
removal of organics and radionuclides from soil.
A pilot scale study is currently supported by
USEPA at LSU.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1992 1993 LSU 234 Portier, Ralph
  In-situ Remediation of EDC - Contaminated
  Shane, Barbara Vados Soil A
  Toxicological Assessment
• Walsh, Maud
• 
  Miller ,G.

Objective of this project are two-fold. First
examine the in situ biodegradation of EDC in
soil. Second break new ground in mutagenicity
testing by developing a method for conducting
mutagenicity assays under anaerobic conditions.
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments Chlorinated
aliphatic compounds are among the most common
soil and groundwater contaminants because of
their widespread use as industrial solvents.Both
laboratory and field experiments were conducted
to test the feasibility of bioremediation of
ethylene dichloride (EDC) in the shallow
subsurface. Bioplug and Biotrench methods of in
situ remediation have demonstrated efficacy in
EDC reductions with minimal to no excavation
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1993 1995 LSU 295 Pike ,Ralph
  Source Reduction Through On-line
  Optimization

On-line optimization requires the solution of
three nonlinear programming problems (NLP) for
combined gross error detection and data
reconciliation, parameter estimation and economic
optimization. Scope of the research is being
expanded with a collaborative effort underway
with colleagues at Lamar University, Professors
Hopper and Yaws. The on-line optimization
research will provide current and precise values
for the process parameters which have been
extracted from plant using the data validation
and parameter estimation procedures, and this is
key information for evaluations of process
modification for waste minimization.
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments An efficient
and effective method for source reduction from
chemical plants was demonstrated using on-line
optimization with flowsheeting for process
optimization and parameter estimation.The process
optimization predicted a 25 reduction in sulfur
dioxide emissions, a 17 improvement in the
profit over the current operating conditions and
generated a set of optimal setpoints for use by
the distributed control system.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1994 1995 LSU 339 Cartledge
  ,Frank Solidification/Stabilization
  Of
• 
  Tittlebaum ,Martin Organics A
  Database And
• 
  
  Guidance Document

Proposed research will produce two deliverables
, a comprehensive, searchable computer database
of literature reference and experimental
information about cementitious and pozzolanic S/S
of organics and an extensive review document that
will summarize the existing state of the art.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1994 1995 LSU 352 Chen S.
  Leachability and Structural Integrity Of
• 
  Malone R. Cement - Based
  Phosphogypsum
• 
  Suhayda J. Stabilization Blocks As
  Artificial Reefs,
• Oyster Substrates, and Coastal
  Structures

What are the main transport mechanisms of the
toxic elements out of blocks and how can they be
affected by the method of solidification and
oceanographic pressure?. What is the optimal
design of the PG blocks that will retain
structural integrity while subjected to ocean
processes?. The objective of this three-phase
project is to answer the first two questions.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1994 1995 LSU 354 Dooley, M.
  Kerry The Use Of Supercritical Fluids
• 
  Knopf, F. Carl For Waste
  Minimization

In over 8 years of research we and others have
shown that an effective, non-destructive
treatment method for many contaminated waters,
soils and slurries is extraction using
supercritical fluids.
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments Based on
previous and recent work (Section II), we have
identified optimum conditions for SCFE of
hydrophobic contaminants from wet solids and from
solids of high organic content.Soils of low
organic content are easily stripped using SCF-CO2
alone. Soils with high organic contents can
sometimes be effectively treated with an alcohol
as cosolvent with CO2 or propane.However, we have
found that extractions of primarily hydrophobic
contaminants from high organic content topsoils
can be performed just as effectively using water
as a cosolvent (Section II), and more effectively
using pure SCF-CO2 alone.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1995 1996 LSU 410 Pike, Ralph
  Pollution Prevention By
• Process Modification Using
• On-line Optimization

The objective of the research is to use process
modification and on-lie optimization to reduce
the discharge of hazardous materials from
chemical and refinery processes. Research will be
conducted at three chemical plants and a
petroleum refinery that have large waste
discharges. These are the alkylation process at
the Star Enterprise Port Arthur refinery, the
acrylonitrile process at the Cytec Industries
Westwego plant and the wet process phosphoric
acid and sulfuric acid processes at the IMC
Agrico Uncle-Sam, Louisiana, plant.
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments A preliminary
analysis of the alkylation process at the Star
Enterprise Port Arthur refinery has been
completed using data extracted from the
distributed control system with the assistance of
the Star process engineers.This research is in
collaboration with Professors Hopper and Yaws at
Lamar University.A potential savings of 10.5
million in fuel costs along with significant
reductions in emissions in a study of a generic
acrylonitrile plant.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1995 1999 LSU 428 Garrison,
  Timothy J. Laser Diagnostics Of the
  Combustion Process Within a Rotary
  Kiln Incinerator

The primary thrust of the research program will
be to develop both a Planar Laser Induced
Fluorescence (PLIF) system and a Planar Laser
Scattering (PLS) system that can be used to study
the combustion within LSUs rotary kiln
incinerator
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments The
construction and instrumentation of LSUs
pilot-scale rotary kiln incinerator has been
completed.The facility is a down-scaled version
of a complete incineration system typical of
those used by a number of industries
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1995 1998 LSU 435 Junk, Thomas
  Sonochemical Treatment Of
  Catallo, James Hazardous Chemical
  Compounds II
• Process Optimization And Pathway
• Studies

Objective, a deeper mechanistic understanding of
the processes which ultimately lead to substrate
destruction.
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments Work during
the current project year ( Year 2) primarily has
taken the form of a) Analytical methods
development b) Kinetic experiments
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1996 1999 LSU 476 Pike, Ralph
  Advanced Process Analysis For Pollution
  Prevention

The system has used the Lamar chemical reactor
analysis program, and the LSU on-line
optimization and pinch analysis programs.A
flowsheeting program developed as an extension to
the on-line optimization program, and the EPA
pollution index methodology was incorporated.
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments Process
modification using chemical reactor analysis
could have the conversion increase and reactor
volume decrease over current operations, and
using pinch analysis could have the total area of
the heat exchanger network be 25 less than the
current one.The pollution index evaluation
identified the stack gas as the primary pollution
impact from the process with the sulfur furnace
and the converter as the candidates for process
modification.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1995 1997 LSU 571 Pike, Ralph
  Transfer of Advanced Process Analysis
  Technology To the Chemical Industry

This project will transfer the advanced process
analysis technology to the chemical industry.The
system includes evaluating the best types and
configuration of chemical reactors and separation
units using the chemical reactor analysis,
flowsheeting and pinch analysis programs.
The Advanced Process Analysis System has been
applied to two contact processes at the IMC
Agrico agricultural chemical complex.The results
of the application of the System showed a
potential annual increase in profit of 3 (or
50,000) and a 10 reduction in sulfur
dioxide.Results were presented at two
international conferences.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 1999 2002 LSU 734 Pike, Ralph
  An Advanced System For Pollution
  Prevention In Chemical Complexes

Important accomplishment is that the system will
give process engineers interactively and
simultaneously use of programs for total cost
analysis,life cycle assessment and sustainability
metrics to provide direction for the optimal
chemical complex analysis.
Summary of Findings The System has been applied
to an agricultural chemical production complex in
the Baton Rouge-New Orleans Mississippi river
corridor.Ammonia plants in this complex produce
an excess of surplus of 0.65 million tons per
year of high quality carbon dioxide that is being
exhausted to the atmosphere.A new catalytic
process that converts carbon dioxide and methane
can use some of this excess, and preliminary
results showed that replacing the conventional
acetic acid process in the existing complex with
the new process gave a potential savings of
750,000 per year for steam, 275 trillion BTUs
per year in energy, and 6.3 tons per year in NOx
and 59,200 tons per year in carbon dioxide
emissions.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 2000 2003 LSU 753 Valsaraj, K.
  T. Adsolubilization and Photocatalysis
  Constant, David In A Semi Conducting
  Monolithic Reactor For Wastewater
  Treatment

Main goal of this research is to develop a
comprehensive treatment technology for dilute
industrial wastewater using surfactant solutions
and a regenerable metal oxide.
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments The adsorption
isotherms of two anionic surfactants, sodium
dodecylsulfate (SDS) and potassium
perfluorooctylsulfonate (PFOS) and a hydrocarbon
1,2-dichlorobenzene (DCB) on titania P-25 were
determined.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 2000 2002 LSU 754 Harlow,
  Charles Remote Detection of Gas
  Sterling, Arthur Emissions In Industrial
  Processes

The objective of this project is to develop a
portable system that utilizes an imaging
spectrometer to remotely characterize fugitive
gas leaks and stack emissions from industrial
facilities in real time.
Progress Summary/ AccomplishmentsThe work
performed on the project has been done in
phases.These phases are the data collected for
the project,the laboratory characterization,stack
emissions testing,and the development of
automatic gas detection methods.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at LSU

• 2000 2003 LSU 759 Rusch, Kelly
  A. Searching For Optimum Composition
  Malone, Ron Of
  Phosphogypsum Fly Ash
• Cement Composites For Oyster
• Culch Materials

Purpose of this research is to search optimal
ingredient combinations within the range of 20 -
35 fly ash and 1 - 3 cement, such as 72 25
3 PG fly ash cement and 67 30 3 PG
fly ash cement, for use as oyster culch.
Progress Summary/ Accomplishments The field
observations of the nine month saltwater
submergence test showed that three out of nine
72 25 3 and 77 20 3 PG Class C
fly ash Portland type II cement composites came
out of the color tags,and two out of nine PG
composites came out of the color tags for the
ingredient combinations of 67 30 3 PG
Class C fly ash Portland type II cement
composite.However all nine 63 35 2 PG
Class C fly ash Portland type II cement
composites maintained by the physical integrity.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at RICE

• 1997 2000 RUH 620 Weisner, Mark
  Collodial Fouling Of Membranes
  Implications Of The Treatment Of
  Textile Dye Waste And Water Reuse

Purpose of the proposed work is to evaluate and
model the effect of membrane operating
parameters, geometry, and module design on the
colloidal fouling of membranes.
Summary of Findings Bench scale membrane
filtration experiments with textile dye wastes
from the Harlingen facility indicated that the
fouling potential of domestic wastewater is
comparable to or greater than that of wastewater
from textile mill.Colloidal material in the
domestic wastewater appeared to be the primary
foul agent.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at RICE

• 1998 2002 RUH 700 Tomson, M.
  B. Effects of Natural Cyclic Variations
• Kan, Amy On
  Contaminated Fate and Transport

The effect of changes in T, TDS, pH and Eh on
adsorption and desorption of hydrophobic organic
compounds from the low-level resistant
compartment will first be modeled using the
highly reproducible experimental methods
developed by the PIs at Rice University.
The objectives of this study were to develop a
predictive model that can explain the desorption
mechanism, and investigate the impact of
pH,salinity,temperature,and redox on the behavior
of contaminant release from soil. A new
duel-equilibrium desorption (DED) model has been
developed to account for the biphasic desorption.
The DED model can be easily incorporated into
standard risk and transport models.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at RICE

• 1998 2002 RUH 703 Hughes, Joseph
  Enhancement of DNAPL Dissolution
• Rates by Dechlorinating
  Anaerobes

Purpose of this project is to investigate the
potential to enhance the dissolution of
chlorinated solvent DNAPLs by colonization with
dechlorinating bacteria.
Quantify DNAPL dissolution rates in the presence
of anaerobic dechlorinating bacteria under
simulated aquifer conditions. Comparisons between
actively dechlorinating systems and abiotic
controls demonstrated that dechlorination
resulted in PCE removal rates of 14 to 16 times
that of dissolution.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at RICE

• 1999 2002 RUH 731 Fraser, Matt P.
  Development and Application of a Real-time
• Tittel, F.K. Optical Sensor For Atmospheric
  Formaldehyde

A new technique for real-time measurements of
ambient formaldehyde concentrations will be
developed to allow a more accurate, instantaneous
measurement of ambient formaldehyde levels.
Summary of Findings The project was undertaken
to develop a real-time sensor for atmospheric
formaldehyde. An optical sensor was developed
capable of quantification of atmospheric levels
of formaldehyde with a precision of 0.5 ppbV.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at RICE

• 2000 2003 RUH 766 Bedient, P.B.
  Chlorinated Solvent Impact and
• Remediation Strategies For the
• Dry Cleaning Industry

Two methods of hydrogen delivery are currently
study.One method involves the injection releasing
compound (HRC) into the aquifer, while the other
method directly injects hydrogen gas.Main
objective of this research is to study the
effectiveness of these hydrogen delivery systems
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GCHSRC PROJECTS at RICE

• 2000 2002 RUH 846 Hughes, Joseph
  Quantitative Demonstration of Source-
  Ward, Herb Zone Bioremediation in A
  Field-scale Experimental
  Controlled Release System

Anaerobic in situ bioremediation of a DNAPL
source-zone will be quantitatively demonstrated
using a commercially available show-release
electron donor.
Objective TO successfully demonstrate the
ability to scale-up a culture of
tetrachloroethene (PCE) dechlorinating
bacteria.The observation of byproducts associated
with the dechlorination would be considered a
success. Progress Summary/ Accomplishments
Results show that bacteria travel is retarded up
to three times as compared to a conservative
tracer, in this case 1000ppm bromide.
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GCHSRC PROJECTS_at_LSU and RICE

• University No.Projects No.PIs
  Total Funding

LSU 18
37
2,071,486
RICE 6
9
818,205
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OTHER THREADS BETWEEN LSU and LAMAR

• JACK HOPPER received Ph.D from LSU in 1969
  Advisor Alex Voorhies
• Suresh Vora , Kantilal Trivedi came to LSU from
  Lamar and received Ph.Ds in about
• Geoffrey Price and Danny Reible received B.S. in
  ChE from Lamar prior to receiving

Ralph Pike was the reason Jack Hopper came to
LSU.
1974-1975 from LSU.
Ph.D from Rice and Cal Tech respectively and came
to LSU as Assistant Professors.
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CONGRATULATIONS to LSU for 25 years of
Excellence with the Hazardous Substance Research
Center