Anionic–nonionic mixed-surfactant-enhanced remediation of PAH-contaminated soil

Soil washing is an efficient remediation technique that enhances the solubility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in specific surfactant to remediate PAH-contaminated soil. This study evaluated the remediation efficiency of PAH-contaminated soil from a coke oven plant by comparing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), and Triton X-100 (TX100), as well as TX100-SDS and TX100-SDBS mixed surfactants. Results showed that SDS-TX100 and SDBS-TX100 had synergistic effects on PAH solubilization when surfactant concentrations were above their critical micelle concentration. Competitive effects of the three solubilized PAHs (phenanthrene with three rings, fluoranthene with four rings, and benzo[a]pyrene with five rings) with a particular anionic–nonionic mixed surfactant were investigated. PAHs with more rings were found to slightly decrease the solubility in surfactant solution of PAHs with fewer rings, whereas PAHs with fewer rings promoted the solubility in surfactant solution of PAHs with more rings. The removal ratios of PAHs during the remediation of actual PAH-contaminated soil were best improved by the anionic–nonionic mixed surfactant TX100-SDS (9:1), followed by TX100-SDS (8:2), TX100-SDS (7:3), TX100-SDBS (7:3), TX100, SDBS, and SDS. Therefore, anionic–nonionic mixed surfactants can help improve the remediation performance of PAHs based on their application in tests of cleaning actual PAH-contaminated soil from a coke oven plant.