Protocols for the analysis of transformer oil and its degradation in soil by hydrogen peroxide. Issue 3 (November 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chang, Yanjun; Achari, Gopal; Langford, Cooper H.
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental engineering and science. Volume 8:Issue 3(2013)
• Page Start: 371
• Page End: 381
• Publication Date: 2013-11
• Subjects: environment; Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Sanitary engineering -- Periodicals; Environmental engineering -- Canada -- Periodicals; Environnement, Technique de l' -- Périodiques; Technique sanitaire -- Périodiques; Environnement, Technique de l' -- Canada -- Périodiques; Environmental engineering; Sanitary engineering; Canada; Electronic journals; Computer network resources; Periodicals; 628.05
• DOI: 10.1680/jees.2013.0037
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1496-2551

Abstract

Abstract : Conventional gas chromatography (GC) analysis of hydrocarbons displaying one broad peak provides limited information. Two GC analytical protocols using two-peak and three-peak approaches were developed to investigate transformer oil components and their degradation in soil by hydrogen peroxide. The two-peak method revealed transformer oil to be composed of 27 wt.% F2 fraction and 73 wt.% F3 fraction hydrocarbons. The three-peak method segregated the transformer oil into 40 wt.% light, 40 wt.% medium, and 20 wt.% heavy hydrocarbon fractions. In contrast to reports of success with several classes of lighter hydrocarbons, only limited degradations of transformer oil in soils by 15% and 30% hydrogen peroxide treatment was indicated by conventional one-peak analysis; two-peak analysis showed varying F2 and F3 fraction degradations with F2 fraction degradation being higher; three-peak analysis offered a richer understanding of the relative degradations of light, medium, and heavy fractions. The effect of a low pH environment on the degradation of transformer oil by hydrogen peroxide was evaluated using the three-peak method. It emerged that the degradation of the medium and heavier fractions of transformer oil was higher at pH 2·0.