Analysis of Pyrolysis Products of Sewage Sludge: Investigation of a Range Fire at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG).
Abstract
Soil, sludge, and ash samples taken from Range-16 (R-l6) on Spesutie Island, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), were analyzed by pyrolysis-GC-FTIR-MS. The objective of the investigation was to identify toxic combustion/pyrolysis products that may have been responsible for physical discomfort and muscle spasms experienced by range personnel who attempted to extinguish a fire, which occurred on the range on 16 March 1995. It was found that the sludge samples generate small quantities of many cyclic and noncyclic hydrocarbons, including benzene, toluene, phenol, and acetaldehyde. The most interesting and potentially important finding of this investigation was that sludge samples from both R- 16 and Phillips Air Field (PAF) contain the dodecyl ester of acrylic acid CH2CHCOO(CH2)11CH3. Toxicity data for a related ester suggests that the material is moderately toxic, a fire hazard, and emits acrid smoke when heated to decomposition. Based on a limited survey of the literature, it does not appear that esters of acrylic acid should be present in sludge.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA320683
Entities
People
- Rose Pesce-rodriquez
Organizations
- United States Army Research Laboratory