Combined treatment of PAHs contaminated soils using the sequence extraction with surfactant–electrochemical degradation

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 70; no. 8; pp. 1438 - 1444
• Main Authors: Alcántara, M.T., Gómez, J., Pazos, M., Sanromán, M.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anthracene; Applied sciences; Benzo[ a]pyrene; benzopyrene; chemical degradation; Decontamination. Miscellaneous; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; electrical treatment; Electrochemical treatment; electrochemistry; Electrochemistry - instrumentation; Electrochemistry - methods; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Pollution - prevention & control; Exact sciences and technology; extraction; nonionic surfactants; PAHs; Phenanthrene; Phenanthrenes - chemistry; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - chemistry; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - isolation & purification; remediation; Reproducibility of Results; sequence extraction; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil Pollutants - chemistry; Soil Pollutants - isolation & purification; soil pollution; Surface-Active Agents - chemistry; Surfactants; Benzo[ a]pyrene; PAHs; Anthracene; Phenanthrene; Electrochemical treatment; Surfactants; electrolysis; decontamination; Benzopyrene; Combined process; hydrocarbons; Sequential extraction; Surfactant; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Soil pollution; phenanthrene; Persistent organic pollutant; Model compound; Benzo[a]pyrene; organic compounds; performances; hydrophobic compounds
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.08.070

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) cause a high environmental impact when released into the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the capacity of decontamination of polluted soils with PAHs using the sequence extraction-electrochemical treatment: extraction of PAHs from the soil with surfactant followed by electrochemical degradation of the liquid collected. Several PAHs (anthracene, benzo[ a]pyrene, and phenanthrene) have been used as model compounds since such PAHs are found in high concentrations in contaminated environmental samples. Due to their hydrophobic nature, soil extraction has been limited. In this work, the use of six surfactants, Brij 35, Merpol, Tergitol, Tween 20, Tween 80 and Tyloxapol, has been evaluated on the PAH extraction from a model soil such as kaolin. Furthermore, the electrochemical degradation of PAHs with the surfactant that gave the best result was investigated working with neat solutions. The electrochemical treatment of these solutions was carried out in two electrochemical cells with different working volumes, 0.4 and 1.5 l, and electrode material (graphite or titanium). Near complete degradation was reached for all the experiments in both cells.