Mercury Soil Remediation by Ex-Situ Thermal Desorption

Large-scale remediation of mercury-contaminated soil in Ritsona, Greece, using Ex-Situ Thermal Desorption (ESTD). The project successfully treated a 600-ton soil pile, achieving the remediation objectives within the planned schedule and demonstrating the efficiency of thermal technology for mercury-contaminated industrial sites.

SITE DESCRIPTION

Treated Volume	440 m³
Thermal technology	Ex-Situ Thermal treatment
Main contaminant	Mercury (HG)
Site challenges	Industrial soil contaminated by mercury from historical waste handling, requiring high-temperature treatment to achieve stringent cleanup targets.
Project Timeline	from 2025

SOLUTION

Treatment Method	Ex-Situ Thermal Treatment (ESTT)
Treatment program	Thermal treatment of a 600-ton soil pile using 26 Smart Burners, heating tubes and vapor extraction network.
Contaminated Vapors Management	Vapors collected through extraction tubes and treated using a Vapor Treatment Unit (VTU), Condensate Treatment Unit (CTU) and Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC).
Process control	Continuous monitoring of temperatures, pile pressure, process gases (CO, CO₂, O₂, NOx, SO₂, hydrocarbons, CH₄) and mercury emissions throughout the treatment.