Cationic Surfactant-Enhanced Sorption and Nonionic Surfactant-Enhanced Solubilization of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants in Groundwater

摘要

This study was conducted to assess the feasibility of using surfactants to immobilize and recover contaminants from groundwater. Before such a remediation method can be employed in the field, a understanding of the complex transport, partitioning behavior, and interactions of the surfactants and in a dynamic groundwater system is required. Batch, column and box aquifer model experiments conducted to investigate the proposed remediation strategy. Also, numerical modeling tools were developed to predict the coupled cationic/ nonionic/HOC transport behavior within a dynamic groundwater. Experimental results show that it is feasible to create a stationary cationic surfactant- enhanced in situ within an aquifer. The main criteria for sorbent zone development are a relatively high exchange capacity, a low carbon content, and a relatively homogeneous and permeable aquifer. Numerical simulation results indicate that mass-transfer limiting desorption of the cationic surfactant will likely occur within an enhanced sorbent zone.