Surfactant-Bimetallic Nanoparticle Colloidal Solutions to Remediate PCE Contaminated Soils

Contamination of groundwater by dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) such as chlorinated hydrocarbons is an environmental concern in industrial and hazardous waste sites. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a cationic biosurfactant and a biosurfactant to extract tetrachloroethylene (PCE) from contaminated soils and to degrade the PCE in-situ using surfactant-bimetallic colloidal solutions. Effectiveness of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and UH-biosurfactant were compared to water in removing PCE from 100,000 mg/kg PCE contaminated soils using column studies. Fe/Ni nano-bimetallic particles were produced using the solution method and combined with the surfactant solutions to prepare the colloidal solutions. Desorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms for the two surfactants with the major constituents of soils have been quantified and used in the transportation modeling. The surfactant-colloidal solutions were effective in degrading the PCE and reducing the leaching of PCE from contaminated soil.