Modeling cationic surfactant transport in porous media: Implications for enhanced sorption zone technology
- Armstrong Lab., Tyndall AFB, FL (United States)
Recent laboratory and field studies have shown that under certain conditions, cationic surfactants can be used to create enhanced sorbent zones within an aquifer. When situated to intercept migrating organic contaminant plumes, such zones can significantly retard the transport of these contaminants. Coupled to some biotic or abiotic degradation scheme, this concept has potential as an in situ groundwater remediation technology. In this study, data from two previous laboratory studies were used to numerically investigate the transport behavior of the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HDTMA) in low organic carbon aquifer materials. A one-dimensional solute transport model which utilized various non-linear equilibrium and non-equilibrium partitioning relationships was developed, and simulations were compared to measured laboratory results. Simulation results suggest that mass transfer limitations in the desorption process may explain the sorbed HDTMA{sup +} distributions noted in the experimental results. Additionally, simulation results indicate that background aqueous concentrations of HDTMA{sup +} may persist at levels detrimental to soil microbes for a time after an input pulse has been dispersed.
- OSTI ID:
- 31758
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410273--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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