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.