Enhanced desorption of phenanthrene from contaminated soil using anionic/nonionic mixed surfactant

A new approach using an anionic/nonionic mixed surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) with Triton X-100 (TX100), was utilized for the desorption of phenanthrene from an artificial contaminated natural soil in an aim to improve the efficiency of surfactant remediation technology. The experimental results showed that the presence of SDS not only reduced the sorption of TX100 onto the natural soil, but also enhanced the solubilization of TX100 for phenanthrene, both of which resulted in the distribution of phenanthrene in soil-water systems decreasing with increasing mole fraction of SDS in surfactant solutions. These results can be attributed to the formation of mixed micelles in surfactant solution and the corresponding decrease in the critical micelle concentration of TX100 in mixed solution. The batch desorption experiments showed that the desorption percentage of phenanthrene from the contaminated soil with mixed solution was greater than that with single TX100 solution and appeared to be positively related to the mole fraction of SDS in surfactant solution. Thus, the anionic/nonionic mixed surfactants are more effective for the desorption of phenanthrene from the contaminated soil than a single nonionic surfactant.     

Benzene removal from waste water using aqueous surfactant two-phase extraction with cationic and anionic surfactant mixtures

A novel separation technique known as an aqueous surfactant two-phase (ASTP) extraction is a promising method to remove organic contaminants from wastewater. When cationic and anionic surfactants are mixed at certain surfactant concentrations and compositions, the solution separates into two immiscible aqueous phases. One is the surfactant-rich and the other is the surfactant-dilute phase. The organic contaminants will solubilize into the surfactant aggregates and concentrate in the small volume surfactant-rich phase. The other phase contains only small amount of surfactants and contaminants as the treated water. Most ASTP studies have used nonionic surfactants above the cloud point. Mixtures of anionic and cationic surfactants can also exhibit aqueous-aqueous phase separation and can be used in the ASTP extraction process. The phase behavior and performance of ASTP extraction using cationic surfactant dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and anionic surfactant alkyldiphenyloxide di-sulfonate (DPDS) to extract benzene from wastewater was investigated in batch experiments. It was found that phase separation only occurs over a narrow range of molar ratios of DTAB:DPDS from 1.6:1 to 2.4:1. In this study, a 2:1 molar ratio of DTAB:DPDS at which there is no net charge in the surfactant aggregates show the highest extraction efficiency and lowest critical micelle concentration value with greatest synergism (highest negative values of the micellar interaction parameter). At a total surfactant concentration of 50mM, the benzene partition ratio is 48 and 72% of the benzene is extracted into the surfactant-rich phase solution in a single stage extraction, which is superior performance compared to ASTP extraction using nonionic surfactants.     

A comparative study of adsorption of an anionic and a non-ionic surfactant by soils based on physicochemical and mineralogical properties of soils

In the present work we performed a comparative study on the adsorption of the surfactants sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) (anionic), and octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-100) (non-ionic) to 18 soils with organic matter (OM) and clay fraction contents varying over a broad range. The objective of the study was to gain further insight into the influence of the physicochemical and mineralogical properties of soils on the adsorption of surfactants by soils. Adsorption isotherms were obtained using concentrations below the critical micellar concentration (cmc) of the surfactants. The adsorption coefficients, Kf, determined from the Freundlich equation were lower for SDS (range 1.77-82.1, mean value 36.3) than for Triton X-100 (range 0.01-913, mean value 257). Simple and multiple correlation coefficients were obtained between Kf values and soil characteristics. The results obtained indicate the influence of the OM content on the adsorption of SDS (r=0.64, p<0.01) and of the clay fraction content on that of Triton X-100 (r=0.83, p<0.001). Additionally, we observed a preferential adsorption of SDS by the 1:1 mineral kaolinite (r=0.54, p<0.05), while Triton X-100 was adsorbed mainly by the 2:1 minerals, montmorillonite (r=0.66, p<0.01) and illite (r=0.87, p<0.001). According to the influence of different soil parameters on adsorption, different mechanisms of adsorption are proposed for each surfactant. Our findings point to the interest of considering the physicochemical properties of soils and also the mineralogy of the soil clay fraction when selecting a surfactant in technologies involving enhanced solubilization and removal of contaminants from soils and sediments.     

Effects of anionic hydrocarbon surfactant on the transport of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in natural soils

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The widespread usage of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has led to their ubiquitous co-existence with hydrocarbon surfactants in the...     

Acute toxicity and genotoxicity of five selected anionic and nonionic surfactants

The results of four toxicity bioassays of selected anionic and nonionic surface active agents were presented. Three widely used anionic surfactants that belong to alkyl sulphates (AS), alkylbenzene sulphonates (LAS) and alkylpolyoxyethylene sulphates (AES) as well as nonionic surfactants: polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers (AE) and polyoxylethylene alkylphenyl ethers (APE) were tested. Three different toxicity assays to aquatic organisms: Physa acuta Draparnaud, Artemia salina and Raphidocelis subcapitata were applied. Additionally, the genotoxicity test with Bacillus subtilis M45 Rec- and H17 Rec+ strains was performed. The obtained results showed that none of the surfactants studied was genotoxic at the concentration 1000 mg l(-1). On the basis of toxicity tests to aquatic organisms all tested anionic surfactants were harmful (LC50 between 10 and 100 mg l(-1)), whereas nonionic ones were toxic (LC50 between 1 and 10 mg l(-1)) or even highly toxic (LC50 below 1 mg l(-1)). Moreover, the bigger was the molecular weight of the tested compound, the higher toxicity was observed.     

阴离子粘土对水中瓜儿胶的吸附研究

利用实验室制备的镁铝阴离子粘土材料,研究了其吸附水中瓜儿胶的动力学和热力学.结果表明,在瓜儿胶初始质量浓度为20～60 mg/L及温度为298～323 K时,阴离子粘土对水中瓜儿胶的吸附动力学符合准二级速率方程.阴离子枯土对瓜儿胶的吸附符合Langmuir和Freundlich等温吸附方程,吸附是吸热反应,吸附量随温度升高而略有增加,但吸附表观活化能只有18.13kJ/mol,说明温度对吸附的影响不显著.实验还表明,阴离子粘土对水中瓜儿胶的吸附性能优于活性炭.     

Solubilization of nitrotoluenes in micellar nonionic surfactant solutions

A key factor in selecting surfactants to enhance chemical or biological transformation or physical removal of an organic pollutant from contaminated soil is knowledge of the pollutant's solubility behavior in the surfactant solution. This study investigated the influence of nonionic surfactant structure on the solubility of 4-nitrotoluene (NT), 2,3-dinitrotoluene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, 2,6-dinitrotoluene, and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) at room temperature. For a series of alkyl phenol ethoxylates (Tergitol NP-8 to NP-40), decreasing the ethoxylate chain length increased the solubility of these nitrotoluenes by a factor of two or less in 10 g l(-1) surfactant solutions, but did not significantly change their molar solubilization ratios (MSR, e.g. 0.02 for TNT) or their micelle-water partition coefficients (K(m), e.g. 3.4 for TNT). For Tergitol NP-8 solutions ranging from 1.0 to 12.4 g l(-1), no enhancement in NT solubility was found, suggesting that the cloud point was reached. The MSRs for Tween 80 were higher than those of Tween 20 and the MSRs of Brij-58 were higher than those for Brij-35. When comparing solutes, NT had the highest solubility and MSR (0.28-0.41), while TNT had the lowest solubility and MSR (0.02-0.03). A linear relationship between K(m) values and octanol-water partition coefficients based on Triton X-100 predicted the logK(m) values within 0.5 of their measured values. A linear solvation free energy correlation for K(m) suggested the importance of solute volume and effective hydrogen bond basicity in the partitioning process while implying that the nitrotoluenes are solubilized in a polar portion of the micelle.     

Influence of surfactant sorption on the removal of phenanthrene from contaminated soils

Laboratory column flushing experiments were conducted to remove phenanthrene from contaminated soils by Triton X-100 (TX100) with an aim to investigating the effect of surfactant sorption on the performance of surfactant-enhanced remediation process. The effluent concentration of phenanthrene from soil columns showed strong dependence on the sorption breakthrough curves of TX100. The removal of phenanthrene from contaminated soils was enhanced only when the sorption breakthrough of TX100 occurred and the influent concentration of TX100 was greater than the critical enhanced flushing concentration (CEFC). The sorption of surfactant onto soils and the subsequent partitioning of contaminants into soil-sorbed surfactant had a significant effect on the solute equilibrium distribution coefficient (KD) and thus the flushing efficiency for phenanthrene. A model was developed to predict KD and CEFC values for simulating the performance of surfactant-enhanced flushing for contaminated soils. These results are of practical interest in developing effective and safe surfactant-enhanced remediation technologies.     

非离子型表面活性剂吐温80增溶条件下菲的生物降解

本实验的目的是研究非离子型表面活性剂吐温 80 (Tween 80 )对菲的溶解及生物降解过程的影响。结果表明 ,通过吐温 80促溶 ,菲在水中的溶解度有明显的提高。在与菲共同降解的过程中 ,吐温 80亦能作为碳源被降解微生物利用。但是 ,高浓度的吐温 80对菲的降解有一定的抑制作用 ,同时在菲的降解完成后造成较高的残留表面活性剂量和微生物量     

Solubilization of DNAPLs by mixed surfactant: reduction in partitioning losses of nonionic surfactant

Efforts to remediate the dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) by mobilizing them face with risks of driving the contaminants deeper into aquifer zones. This spurs research for modifying the approach for in situ remediation. In this paper, a novel solubilization of DNAPLs by mixed nonionic and anionic surfactant, Triton X-100 (TX100) and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), was presented and compared with those by single ones. Given 1:40 phase ratio of DNAPL:water (v/v) and the total surfactant concentration from 0.2 to 10gl(-1), mixed TX100-SDBS at the total mass ratios of 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3 exhibited significant solubilization for the DNAPLs, trichloroethene (TCE), chlorobenzene (CB) and 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB). The solubilization extent by mixed TX100-SDBS was much larger than by single TX100 and even larger than by single SDBS at the ratios of 1:1 and 1:3, respectively. TX100 partitioning into the organic phase dictated the solubilization extent. The TX100 losses into TCE, CB and 1,2-DCB phases were more than 99%, 97% and 97% when single TX100 was used. With SDBS alone, no SDBS partitioned into DNAPLs was observed and in mixed systems, SDBS decreased greatly the partition loss of TX100 into DNAPLs. The extent of TX100 partition decreased with increasing the amount of SDBS. The mechanism for reduction of TX100 partition was discussed. TX100 and SDBS formed mixed micelles in the solution phase. The inability of SDBS to partition into DNAPLs and the mutual affinity of SDBS and TX100 in the mixed micelle controlled the partitioning of TX100 into DNAPL phase. The work presented here demonstrates that mixed nonionic-anionic surfactants would be preferred over single surfactants for solubilization remediation of DNAPLs, which could avoid risks of driving the contaminants deeper into aquifers and decrease the surfactant loss and remediation cost.     

虾壳粉对水溶液中阴、阳离子型染料的吸附

采用废弃虾壳制备吸附剂处理含刚果红或亚甲基蓝的溶液。考察了温度、吸附时间、初始浓度、吸附剂投加量和初始溶液pH对吸附效果的影响并构建了去除率预测模型,并对吸附等温线、吸附动力学和吸附热力学进行系统研究。结果表明：虾壳粉对刚果红和亚甲基蓝的吸附分别在24 h和4 h时达到平衡,平衡吸附量随吸附时间、初始浓度及吸附剂投加量的增加而增大;刚果红平衡吸附量随pH升高而增大,亚甲基蓝平衡吸附量几乎不随pH变化。在15 ℃下,吸附剂投加量为1 g·L-1,刚果红吸附的最优条件为接触时间24 h、pH=4,在该条件下,虾壳粉对刚果红的饱和吸附量为276.64 mg·g-1;亚甲基蓝吸附的最优条件为接触时间4 h、pH=12,在该条件下,虾壳粉对刚果红的饱和吸附量为1.44 mg·g-1;虾壳粉对2种染料的吸附过程以物理吸附为主,符合准二级动力学方程。虾壳粉对阴离子型染料的吸附效果较优,对阳离子型染料有一定吸附性能,是一种经济高效的染料废水吸附材料。     

Photocatalytic demulsification of oil/water emulsions containing nonionic surfactant

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Separation of oil-water (OW) emulsions is investigated using a photocatalytic demulsification approach. Experiments were conducted using two types of...     

Effect of silicones and polymers on the wetting and foaming properties of anionic and nonionic hydrocarbon surfactants

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - To better understand the effects of nonionic silicones and polymers on the wetting and foaming properties of anionic and nonionic hydrocarbon...     

Influence of microbial and synthetic surfactant on the biodegradation of atrazine

The present study reports the effect of surfactants (rhamnolipids and triton X-100) on biodegradation of atrazine herbicide by strain A6, belonging to the genus Acinetobacter. The strain A6 was able to degrade nearly 80 % of the 250-ppm atrazine after 6 days of growth. The bacterium degraded atrazine by de-alkylation process. Bacterial cell surface hydrophobicity as well as atrazine solubility increased in the presence of surfactant. However, addition of surfactant to the mineral salt media reduced the rate and extent of atrazine degradation by decreasing the bioavailability of herbicide. On the contrary, addition of surfactant to atrazine-contaminated soil increased the rate and extent of biodegradation by increasing the bioavailability of herbicide. As compared to triton X-100, rhamnolipids were more efficient in enhancing microbial degradation of atrazine as a significant amount of atrazine was removed from the soil by rhamnolipids. Surfactants added for the purpose of hastening microbial degradation may have an unintended inhibitory effect on herbicide degradation depending upon contiguous condition, thus highlighting the fact that surfactant must be judiciously used in bioremediation of herbicides.     

Sorption of acidic organic solute onto kaolinitic soils from methanol-water mixtures

The fate of the acidic organic solute from the soil-water-solvent system is not well-understood. In this study, the effect of the acidic functional group of organic solute in the sorption from cosolvent system was evaluated. The sorption of naphthalene (NAP) and 1-naphthoic acid (1-NAPA) by three kaolinitic soils and two model sorbents (kaolinite and humic acid) were measured as functions of the methanol volume fractions (f (c) ≤ 0.4) and ionic compositions (CaCl(2) and KCl). The solubility of 1-NAPA was also measured in various ionic compositions. The sorption data were interpreted using the cosolvency-induced sorption model. The K (m) values (= the linear sorption coefficient) of NAP with kaolinitic soil for both ionic compositions was log linearly decreased with f (c). However, the K (m) values of 1-NAPA with both ionic compositions remained relatively constant over the f (c) range. For the model sorbent, the K (m) values of 1-NAPA with kaolinite for the KCl system and with humic acid for both ionic compositions decreased with f (c), while the sorption of 1-NAPA with kaolinite for the CaCl(2) system was increased with f (c). From the solubility data of 1-NAPA with f (c), no significant difference was observed with the different ionic compositions, indicating an insignificant change in the aqueous activity of the liquid phase. In conclusion, the enhanced 1-NAPA sorption, greater than that predicted from the cosolvency-induced model, was due to an untraceable interaction between the carboxylate and hydrophilic soil domain in the methanol-water system. Therefore, in order to accurately predict the environmental fate of acidic pesticides and organic solutes, an effort to quantitatively incorporate the enhanced hydrophilic sorption into the current cosolvency-induced sorption model is required.     

Sorption of acidic organic solute onto kaolinitic soils from methanol-water mixtures

The fate of the acidic organic solute from the soil-water-solvent system is not well-understood. In this study, the effect of the acidic functional group of organic solute in the sorption from cosolvent system was evaluated. The sorption of naphthalene (NAP) and 1-naphthoic acid (1-NAPA) by three kaolinitic soils and two model sorbents (kaolinite and humic acid) were measured as functions of the methanol volume fractions (f _c ≤ 0.4) and ionic compositions (CaCl₂ and KCl). The solubility of 1-NAPA was also measured in various ionic compositions. The sorption data were interpreted using the cosolvency-induced sorption model. The K _m values (= the linear sorption coefficient) of NAP with kaolinitic soil for both ionic compositions was log linearly decreased with f _c. However, the K _m values of 1-NAPA with both ionic compositions remained relatively constant over the f _c range. For the model sorbent, the K _m values of 1-NAPA with kaolinite for the KCl system and with humic acid for both ionic compositions decreased with f _c, while the sorption of 1-NAPA with kaolinite for the CaCl₂ system was increased with f _c. From the solubility data of 1-NAPA with f _c, no significant difference was observed with the different ionic compositions, indicating an insignificant change in the aqueous activity of the liquid phase. In conclusion, the enhanced 1-NAPA sorption, greater than that predicted from the cosolvency-induced model, was due to an untraceable interaction between the carboxylate and hydrophilic soil domain in the methanol-water system. Therefore, in order to accurately predict the environmental fate of acidic pesticides and organic solutes, an effort to quantitatively incorporate the enhanced hydrophilic sorption into the current cosolvency-induced sorption model is required.     

Environmental properties and effects of nonionic surfactant adjuvants in pesticides: a review

Little is known about the environmental fate of adjuvants after application on the agricultural land. Adjuvants constitute a broad range of substances, of which solvents and surfactants are the major types. Nonionic surfactants such as alcohol ethoxylates (AEOs) and alkylamine ethoxylates (ANEOs) are typically examples of pesticide adjuvants. In view of their chemical structure this paper outlines present knowledge on occurrence, fate and effect on the aquatic and terrestrial environment of the two adjuvants: AEOs and ANEOs.Both AEOs and ANEOs are used as technical mixtures. This implies that they are not one single compound but a whole range of compounds present in different ratios. Structurally both groups of substances have a mutual core with side chains of varying lengths. Each of these compounds besides having the overall ability to distribute between different phases also possesses some single compound behaviour. This is reflected in the parameters describing the fate e.g. distribution coefficient, leaching, run-off, adsorption to soil, degradation and effects of these substances. The adsorption behaviour of ANEOs in contrast to AEOs is particularly variable and matrix dependent due to the ability of the compound to ionise at environmentally relevant pH. Probably because the compounds exceeds high soil adsorption and are easily degradable which is reflected in the low environmental concentrations generally found in monitoring studies. The compounds generally possess low potency to both terrestrial and aquatic organisms. The major environmental problem related to these compounds is the ability to enhance the mobility of other pollutants in the soil column.     

Solubilization of PAH mixtures by three different anionic surfactants

Solubilization of naphthalene and phenanthrene into the micelles formed by three different anionic surfactants was investigated for single, binary, and ternary mixtures including pyrene. The three surfactants were sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDDBS), monoalkylated disulfonated diphenyl oxide (MADS-C12), and dialkylated disulfonated diphenyl oxide (DADS-C12). The order of increasing solubility enhancement of naphthalene and phenanthrene was SDDBS < MADS-C12 < < DADS-C12, which indicates that the hydrophobic chains in micellar core play more important role for the solubilization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) than the benzene rings in palisade layer of a micelle. The solubility enhancement of naphthalene was slightly changed in PAH mixtures. The solubility of phenanthrene was greatly enhanced in presence of naphthalene but reduced in presence of pyrene. The explanation for these results could be that less hydrophobic compounds can be solubilized at the interfacial region of a hydrophobic core, which reduces the interfacial tension between the core and water, and then the reduced interfacial tension can support a larger core volume for the same interfacial energy.     

Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil-water system containing a nonionic surfactant

The effect of a nonionic surfactant, Triton X-100 (TX100), on the distribution of four representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phenanthrene, fluorene, acenaphthene and naphthalene, in soil-water system was studied on a natural soil. The apparent soil-water distribution coefficient with surfactant (Kd*) for these compounds increased when TX100 equilibrium concentration from zero to around the critical micelle concentration (CMC), followed by a decrease in Kd* at TX100 equilibrium concentration greater than CMC. This is a direct result of surfactant sorption onto soil followed by PAHs partitioning to the sorbed surfactant. The values of carbon-normalized solute distribution coefficient (Kss) with the sorbed TX100 are greater than the corresponding partition coefficients with soil organic matter (Koc), which indicates the soil-sorbed nonionic surfactant is more effective per unit mass as a partitioning medium than the native soil organic matter for PAHs. When Kd* = Kd the corresponding initial concentration of surfactant was defined as critical washing concentration (CWC). Depending on the surfactant initial concentration below or above the CWC, the addition of nonionic surfactant can enhance the retardation of soil for PAHs or promote the removal of PAHs from soil, respectively. The values of Kd* and CWC can be predicted by a model, which correlates them with the compounds' octanol-water partition coefficients (Kow), soil property and the amount of soil-sorbed surfactant.