Surfactant–soil interactions during surfactant-amended remediation of contaminated soils by hydrophobic organic compounds: A review

Surfactants are amphiphilic molecules that reduce aqueous surface tension and increase the solubility of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs). Surfactant-amended remediation of HOC-contaminated soils and aquifers has received significant attention as an effective treatment strategy – similar in conc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental management Vol. 90; no. 1; pp. 95 - 100
Main Authors: Laha, Shonali, Tansel, Berrin, Ussawarujikulchai, Achara
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2009
Elsevier
Academic Press Ltd
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Applied ecology
Aquifer contamination
Aquifers
Biodegradation, Environmental
Biological and medical sciences
Bioremediation
Chemicals
Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife
Detergents
Environmental Pollution - prevention & control
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Grease
Hydrophobic organic compounds
literature reviews
Micelles
Models, Theoretical
Moisture content
nonionic surfactants
Organic chemicals
Organic Chemicals - isolation & purification
Organic compounds
polluted soils
Pollution
Remediation
Soaps
Soil - analysis
soil amendments
Soil contamination
Soil mechanics
Soil Pollutants - isolation & purification
soil pollution
Soil sciences
Soil water
soil water movement
Soils
Soil–water distribution coefficient
Solubility
Sorption
Surface Tension
Surface-Active Agents
Surfactants
Washing
Water
Water distribution
Aquifer contamination
Soil–water distribution coefficient
Remediation
Surfactants
Hydrophobic organic compounds
Soil-water distribution coefficient
Hydrophobic compound
Water distribution
Review
Surfactant
Environmental management
Contamination
Aquifers
Soils
Soil interaction
Organic compounds
ISSN:0301-4797, 1095-8630
Online Access:Get full text
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Description
Summary:Surfactants are amphiphilic molecules that reduce aqueous surface tension and increase the solubility of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs). Surfactant-amended remediation of HOC-contaminated soils and aquifers has received significant attention as an effective treatment strategy – similar in concept to using soaps and detergents as washing agents to remove grease from soiled fabrics. The proposed mechanisms involved in surfactant-amended remediation include: lowering of interfacial tension, surfactant solubilization of HOCs, and the phase transfer of HOC from soil-sorbed to pseudo-aqueous phase. However, as with any proposed chemical countermeasures, there is a concern regarding the fate of the added surfactant. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding nonionic micelle-forming surfactant sorption onto soil, and serves as an introduction to research on that topic. Surfactant sorption onto soil appears to increase with increasing surfactant concentration until the onset of micellization. Sorbed-phase surfactant may account for the majority of added surfactant in surfactant-amended remediation applications, and this may result in increased HOC partitioning onto soil until HOC solubilization by micellar phase surfactant successfully competes with increased HOC sorption on surfactant-modified soil. This review provides discussion of equilibrium partitioning theory to account for the distribution of HOCs between soil, aqueous phase, sorbed surfactant, and micellar surfactant phases, as well as recently developed models for surfactant sorption onto soil. HOC partitioning is characterized by apparent soil–water distribution coefficients in the presence of surfactant.
Bibliography:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2008.08.006
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ISSN:0301-4797
1095-8630
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2008.08.006