Steam-Based In-Situ Soil Remediation Mercury occurs naturally in
rocks, soils, water, and air; anthropogenic sources of mercury,
as a contaminant of concern, are found at 290 Superfund National
Priority Sites. Thermal treatment, whether practiced above
ground on contaminated materials removed from a site, or in
ground, is highly effective in removing more than 90 % of
mercury in place, depending on site-specific factors and
temperatures achieved usually heating to greater than 300 C is
required to meet land disposal standards. Treating mercury in
the ground avoids the added hazards of transporting contaminant
soil to a treatment facility and reduces exposure risks. PCI
proposes an innovative direct-fire catalytically stabilized
steam generation technology that offers significant energy
savings compared to steam boilers, and unlike boilers can
operate at the high temperatures needed to be effective for in-
situ mercury removal for a wide range of soil porosities, water
content, and locations below or in the vad