# Project 4: Pyrolytic conversion of PAHs in contaminated sediments into char to eliminate toxicity and enhance soil fertility

> **NIH ES P42** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2026 · $382,939

## Abstract

Project Summary
There is a pressing need for more reliable and cost-effective remediation of contaminated soils and sediments
at Superfund sites to mitigate exposure and protect public health. This project will develop a sustainable
thermal remediation technology to rapidly and reliably treat soils contaminated with such priority pollutants,
including activated PAHs byproducts of environmental transformations. Similar to all other thermal remediation
technologies, high energy requirements are a major cost driver that hinders its scalability and broad
application. Thus, significantly decreasing energy requirements for thermal treatment is a critical goal (and
anticipated benefit) of this project. During the current funding cycle, we made significant novel scientific
contributions: (a) Discovery of a new pyrolytic degradation pathway that degrades PAH by anoxic heating and
eventually converts them to a stable and non-toxic (char-like) carbonaceous residue, which is a safe treatment
endpoint. (b) Recognition of the importance of soil components like clays, which can catalyze PAH
decomposition reactions, apparently facilitated by π-cation interactions between PAHs with transition metals.
(c) Use of a combined mathematical and experimental approach to analyze soil behavior and soil-contaminant
interactions during pyrolytic treatment, and derive the kinetics of decomposition reactions. This framework
allows us to study potential tradeoffs between PAH degradation efficiency, energy requirements, and residual
toxicity of treated soils due to toxic byproducts potentially forming at low temperatures. Thus, our Specific Aims
are to: 1. Understand and exploit the catalytic effect of natural clays with common transition metals (e.g., Fe,
Cu) to accelerate the pyrolytic degradation of PAHs, detoxify the contaminated soils and decrease the required
treatment temperature, time, and energy. 2. Apply molecular modeling with density-function theory to advance
molecular-level understan

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11388585
- **Project number:** 5P42ES027725-07
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Pedro J Alvarez
- **Activity code:** P42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ES
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $382,939
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-02-28T00:00:00 → 2030-01-31T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11388585

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11388585, Project 4: Pyrolytic conversion of PAHs in contaminated sediments into char to eliminate toxicity and enhance soil fertility (5P42ES027725-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-07-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11388585. Licensed CC0.

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