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Sorption-desorption mechanisms and environmental friendliness of different surfactants in enhancing remediation of soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

  • Soils, Sec 1 • Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Nutrient Cycling • Research Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

The ionic and nonionic surfactants have different adsorption-desorption models for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil-water system, due to the difference in the composition and charge of the hydrophilic groups. Surfactant eluents retained in the soil may also have a secondary effect on the soil environment. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate sorption-desorption mechanisms and environmental toxicity of different surfactants in enhancing remediation of soil contaminated with PAHs.

Materials and methods

The distribution of PAHs between different surfactants and soil is influenced by the surfactant bilayer formation. The average molecular density, Sips isotherm, critical micelle concentration (CMC), and critical washing concentration (CWC) models were used to explore the mechanisms involved in the adsorption-desorption of cationic (cetyltrialkylammonium bromide, CTAB), anionic (sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, SDBS), and nonionic (TritonX-100, TX100) surfactants. These models were associated with the surfactant-enhanced remediation (SER) of naphthalene-contaminated soil. The mean concentrations and activity of indigenous bacteria were used to detect the toxic effect of the above surfactants on soil environment.

Results and discussion

The results of SER experiments showed that there are critical washing points (SDBS = 2.4 CMC, TX100 = 4.6 CMC, CTAB = 3.3 CMC) for different surfactants washing naphthalene (Nap). The values of CWC corresponding to critical washing points were key variables driving the need for added surfactants to remove or immobilize Nap. The CWC of different surfactants could be conveniently predicted by a model based on the surfactant-derived organic carbon. In addition, the mean concentration of viable bacteria in biological culture experiment was highest for TX100, followed by CTAB and SDBS.

Conclusions

This study revealed the effects of average molecular density and surfactant-derived organic carbon on the distribution of Nap, and suggested a model for calculating CWC of different surfactants, to optimize SER technology. Biological culture experiment indicated that the high concentration and ionic surfactants had a significantly toxic effect on indigenous bacteria.

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Funding

The authors would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41230314), the Key Laboratory of Degraded and Unused Land Consolidation Engineering of the Ministry of Land and Resources of China (SXDJ2017-6), and the Fund Project of Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Land Consolidation (2018-ZD04) for funding this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Shuangfeng Zhao, Yanpeng Li, Zhaolin Cao & Jinlong Wang

  2. Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region, Ministry of Education, Chang’an University, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Yanpeng Li

  3. Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Land Consolidation, Xi’an, 710075, People’s Republic of China

    Yanpeng Li

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  1. Shuangfeng Zhao
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  2. Yanpeng Li
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  3. Zhaolin Cao
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  4. Jinlong Wang
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Correspondence to Yanpeng Li.

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Zhao, S., Li, Y., Cao, Z. et al. Sorption-desorption mechanisms and environmental friendliness of different surfactants in enhancing remediation of soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. J Soils Sediments 20, 2817–2828 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02640-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02640-0

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