Pollutants treatable by thermal desorption
Soil treatment by conventional thermal desorption

The general rule for determining the applicability of thermal desorption is that it can handle all compounds with boiling temperatures below 550°C at atmospheric pressure. This limit is dictated on the one hand by the temperature limitations of the materials used (carbon steels in particular), which lose their mechanical properties at temperatures above 550°C for long periods, and on the other hand by the fact that beyond this point, temperature no longer discriminates between pollutants and noble soil materials.

Most organic compounds can be treated by thermal desorption, as well as a few inorganic compounds such as cyanides and mercury.