Manufactured gas plants (MGPs) were used in the 18th and 19th century to produce gas for lighting, cooking, and heating of homes. The gas was produced from the processing of coal or oil. The major waste encountered at these facilities is coal tar, a small portion of which is composed of BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene). Separators were used at MGPs to isolate coal tar from water, but the resulting water still contained some level of contamination; this water was often discharged to open bodies of water or into the ground. Contamination has also occurred due to leaking storage facilities and accidental discharge while handling the coal tar.
The BTEX compounds found in coal tar are less dense than water, and can dissolve in water; the compounds can also mix with soil constituents or exist simply in their free-phase.
MLE Equipment has an industry-leading track record in engineering, manufacturing, and supporting environmental equipment solutions for LNAPL sites such as manufactured-gas plants. Follow the links on the right-hand menu to access equipment solutions specifically for LNAPL contamination at manufactured-gas plants.
