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Effect of a cationic surfactant on the volatilization of PAHs from soil

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Abstract

Purpose

Cationic surfactants are common in soils because of their use in daily cosmetic and cleaning products, and their use as a soil amendment for the mitigation and remediation of organic contaminated soils has been proposed. Such surfactant may affect the transfer and fate of organic contaminants in the environment. This study investigated the effect of a cationic surfactant, dodecylpyridinium bromide (DDPB), on the volatilization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from a paddy soil.

Materials and methods

The volatilization of PAHs from moist soil amended with different concentrations of DDPB was tested in an open system. The specific effects of DDPB on the liquid–vapor and solid–vapor equilibriums of PAHs were separately investigated in closed systems by headspace analysis.

Results and discussion

DDPB affects both liquid–vapor and solid–vapor processes of PAHs in soil. At DDPB concentrations below the critical micelle concentration (CMC), movement of PAHs from the bulk solution to the gas–liquid interface appeared to be facilitated by interaction between PAHs and the surfactant monomers adsorbed at the gas–liquid interface, promoting the volatilization of PAHs from solution. However, when DDPB was greater than the CMC, volatilization was inhibited due to the solubilization of PAHs by micelles. On the other hand, the formation of sorbed surfactant significantly inhibited the solid–vapor volatilization of PAHs.

Conclusions

The overall effect of the two simultaneous effects of DDPB on liquid–vapor and solid–vapor processes was a decreased volatilization loss of PAHs from soil. Inhibition of PAH volatilization was more significant for the soil with a lower moisture content.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (20890111, 20737002, 40973067 and 21137003) and the Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang (Z5090031).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310028, China

    Li Lu & Lizhong Zhu

  2. Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310028, China

    Li Lu & Lizhong Zhu

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  1. Li Lu
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  2. Lizhong Zhu
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Correspondence to Lizhong Zhu.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Lu, L., Zhu, L. Effect of a cationic surfactant on the volatilization of PAHs from soil. Environ Sci Pollut Res 19, 1515–1523 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0631-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0631-0

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