Enhanced solubilization of strongly adsorbed organic pollutants using synthetic and natural surfactants in soil flushing: column experiment simulation

This study investigates the performance of two non-ionic sugar-based surfactants, belonging to the families of synthetic alkylpoliglucosides and biological rhamnolipids, for enhancing the solubilization and mass transfer of strongly adsorbed hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) in porous media. Using toluene and perchloroethylene (PCE) as reference pollutants, a continuous configuration test (column experiment) was performed to simulate a soil flushing process under controlled laboratory conditions. The potential applicability of the selected surfactants in remediation processes was evaluated within the context of Surfactant Enhanced Aquifer Remediation (SEAR) technology. Experimental results showed that both surfactants effectively increased the solubilization of contaminants adsorbed on porous media. Compared to H2O flushing, synthetic surfactant increased the solubilization of toluene by 52% and the solubilization of PCE by 81%, while biosurfactant increased solubilization ability by 73% and 92% for toluene and PCE, respectively. Biosurfactant exhibited the greatest solubilization ability, with 92% of adsorbed toluene and 98% of adsorbed PCE solubilized. This research highlights the potential of green surfactants as efficient candidates for remediation processes due to their excellent solubilization ability and environmentally friendly nature. © 2023 The Authors