The use of surfactant and aqueous cosolvent soil washing for the restoration of contaminated aquifers was investigated by laboratory experimentation and literature review. The effect of surfactants on hydrocarbon biodegradation and the ability of aqueous cosolvents to mobilize residual gasoline from saturated porous media were addressed.
Hydrocarbon degrading microorganisms were cultured in a flow-through sand column. Cultured organisms mineralized $\sp{14}$C-benzene and $\sp{14}$C-naphthalene, but not $\sp{14}$C-anthracene. Mineralization of radiolabeled substrates was inhibited by the presence of surfactant. Surfactants were at least partially biodegradable on the basis of oxygen utilization. Soil washing with surfactant solutions did not enhance removal of residual gasoline beyond that obtained with water. Aqueous ethanol solutions increased the desorption of gasoline components from aquifer material.
Cosolvent soil washing should be further investigated. Surfactant soil washing may not be suitable for aquifer restoration because of oxygen demand, mobilization of soil fines, and increased fluid viscosity.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:RICE/oai:scholarship.rice.edu:1911/13334 |
| Date | January 1988 |
| Creators | Ziegenfuss, Philip Scott |
| Contributors | Ward, C. H. |
| Source Sets | Rice University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Text |
| Format | 83 p., application/pdf |
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