High Voltage Environmental Applications, Inc: Electron Beam Technology

peer and administrative reviews and was approved for publication as an EPA document. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation for use. iii The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is charged by Congress with protecting the nation's land, air, and water resources. Under a mandate of national environmental laws, the Agency strives to formulate and implement actions leading to a compatible balance between human activities and the ability of natural systems to support and nurture life. To meet this mandate, EPA's research program is providing data and technical support for solving environmental problems today and building a science knowledge base necessary to manage our ecological resources wisely, understand how pollutants affect our health, and prevent or reduce environmental risks in the future. The National Risk Management Research Laboratory is the Agency's center for investigation of technological and management approaches for reducing risks from threats to human health and the environment. The focus of the Laboratory's research program is on methods for the prevention and control of pollution to air, land, water and subsurface resources; protection of water quality in public water systems; remediation of contaminated sites and groundwater; and prevention and control of indoor air pollution. The goal of this research effort is to catalyze development and implementation of innovative, cost-effective environmental technologies; develop scientific and engineering information needed by EPA to support regulatory and policy decisions; and provide technical support and information transfer to ensure effective implementation of environmental regulations and strategies. This publication has been produced as part of the Laboratory's strategic long-term research plan. It is published and made available by EPA's Office of Research and Development to assist the user community and to link researchers with their clients. Foreword iv Abstract This report evaluates a high-voltage electron beam (E-beam) technology's ability to destroy volatile organic compounds (VOC) and other contaminants present in liquid wastes. Specifically, this report discusses performance and economic data from a Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) demonstration of the technology and one case study. The E-beam technology was developed by High Voltage Environmental Applications, Inc. (HVEA). The technology irradiates water with a beam of high-energy electrons, causing the formation of three primary transient reactive species: aqueous electrons, hydroxyl radicals, and hydrogen radicals. These reactive species undergo complex sequences of reactions with target organic compounds, which are either mineralized or broken down into low molecular weight compounds. A …