Micellar solubilization of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in coal tar-contaminated soils
- Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Solubilization of PAHs from a coal tar-contaminated soil obtained from a manufactured gas plant (MGP) site was evaluated using nonionic polyoxyethylene surfactants at dosages greater than cmc. Up to 25% of Soxhlet-extractable PAHs could be solubilized at surfactant loadings of 0.3 g/g of oil in 16 days in completely stirred batch reactors. Longer periods were required to reach equilibrium at higher surfactant dosages. Raoult`s law satisfactorily described the partitioning of constituent PAHs between the weathered coal tar and the micellar solution. An equilibrium model was developed to predict the solubilization of PAHs from coal tar-contaminated soils for given properties of the soil, surfactant, and component PAHs. The model predicted solubilization of constituent PAHs reasonably well at low surfactant dosages. At extremely high surfactant dosages, the model failed to reliably predict solubilization. Presumably, mass transfer mass transfer limitations prevented the attainment of equilibrium during the duration (380h) of solubilization experiments. 25 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 171463
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 29; ISSN 0013-936X; ISSN ESTHAG
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Estimating release of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from coal tar at manufactured-gas plant sites
Estimating release of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from coal tar at manufactured-gas plant sites