Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Sorption of chlorobiphenyls in sediment-water systems containing nonionic surfactants

Journal Article · · Journal of Environmental Quality
;  [1]
  1. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences

Nonionic surfactants may aid remediation of contaminated soils and sediments by increasing aqueous concentrations of poorly water-soluble organic contaminants. In order to explore the effects of non-ionic surfactants on the sediment-water distribution of PCBs, a series of batch experiments was performed using four commercial nonionic surfactants and Red Cedar River sediment. Sediment-water distributions of 4,4{prime}-dichlorobiphenyl (Di-CB), 2,2{prime},4,4{prime}-tetrachlorobiphenyl (Tetra-CB), and 2,2{prime},4,4{prime},5,5{prime}-hexachlorobiphenyl (Hexa-CB) were studied at aqueous surfactant concentrations ranging from zero to > 1.5 times the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of each surfactant. The results show decreases in apparent soil-water distribution coefficients (K{sup *}) of PCB congeners at all surfactant concentrations as compared to the intrinsic sorption coefficient (K) in the absence of surfactant, unlike that previously reported. A new model incorporating a surface micellization concept for the sorbed surfactant phase was successfully applied to experimental data presented here and in a previous study.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
364036
Journal Information:
Journal of Environmental Quality, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 28; ISSN JEVQAA; ISSN 0047-2425
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Sorption of nonionic organic compounds in soil-water systems containing petroleum sulfonate-oil surfactants
Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Environmental Science and Technology · OSTI ID:41655

Sorption of nonionic organic compounds in soil-water systems containing a micelle-forming surfactant
Conference · Fri Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1994 · OSTI ID:491086

Temperature dependence of aqueous solubility of selected chlorobenzenes, polychlorinated biphenyls, and dibenzofuran
Journal Article · Fri Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1997 · Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data · OSTI ID:460725