Apr. 1, 1999 Cost-Effective Approach has Potential for Wide Use
Researchers have removed up to 99 percent of trichloroethylene
from contaminated soil during the first field tests of an
innovative remediation method called Lasagna™ technology, which
uses electrical current fed to electrodes buried in the ground.
Trichloroethylene is used for cleaning and degreasing metal, in
the production of rubber and plastics, in dry cleaning processes
and in household solvents. It has been associated with a
possible increased risk of cancer in people. The tests exceeded
the researchers' expectations for remediation of the soil,
according to two related research articles in the April 1 print
edition of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science &
Technology, published by the American Chemical Society, the
world's largest scientific society. Scientists from Monsanto,
General Electric and DuPont describe the Lasagna technology as
"very successful" and claim it is cost-effective in cleaning up
trichloroethylene-contaminat