Genotoxicity profiles and reaction characteristics of potassium polyethylene glycol dehalogenation of wood preserving waste.
Chemical dehalogenation of pentachlorophenol-containing wood preserving waste (EPA K001) with potassium polyethylene glycol (KPEG) was investigated. The effect of treatment on the waste toxicity was examined by monitoring genotoxicity of the organic wastes. The effects of temperature, reaction time, and pentachlorophenol concentration on dehalogenation were also investigated. Samples were collected throughout treatment and sequentially extracted with dichloromethane and methanol. Chemical analysis indicated that KPEG effectively dehalogenated pentachlorophenol in the waste. Mutagenicity and genotoxicity of the organic extracts were evaluated in the Salmonella/microsome and Escherichia coli prophage induction assays. Extracts exhibited significantly higher genotoxic responses when tested with metabolic activation. KPEG dehalogenation generally decreases waste genotoxicity during treatment; however, additional treatment is required for complete detoxification.