Decontamination of metals, pentachlorophenol, and polychlorined dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans polluted soil in alkaline conditions using an amphoteric biosurfactant

Abstract

In this paper, flotation in acidic conditions and alkaline leaching soil washing processes were compared to decontaminate four soils with variable contamination with metals, pentachlorophenol (PCP), and polychlorodibenzo dioxins and furans (PCDD/F). The measured concentrations of the four soils prior treatment were between 50 and 250 mg/kg for As, 35 and 220 mg/kg for Cr, 80 and 350 mg/kg for Cu, and 2.5 and 30 mg/kg for PCP. PCDD/F concentrations reached 1394, 1375, 3730, and 6289 ng/kg for F1, S1, S2, and S3 soils, respectively. The tests were carried out with masses of 100 g of soil (fraction 0–2 mm) in a 2 L beaker or in a 1 L flotation cell. Soil flotation in sulphuric acid for 1 h at 60°C with three flotation cycles using the surfactant cocamidopropyl betaine (BW) at 1% allows the solubilization of metals and PCP with average removal yields of 85%, 51%, 90%, and 62% for As, Cr, Cu, and PCP, respectively. The alkaline leaching for 2 h at 80°C solubilizes As, Cr, Cu, and PCP with average removal yields of 60%, 32%, 77%, and 87%, respectively. Tests on PCDD/F solubilization with different surfactants were carried out in combination with the alkaline leaching process. PCDD/F removal yields of 25%, 72%, 70%, and 74% for F1, S1, S2, and S3 soils, respectively, were obtained using the optimized conditions.

Keywords:

• contaminated soil
• arsenic
• pentachlorophenol
• dioxins and furans
• soil washing

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks are extended to NSERC (strategic grant programme) for their financial contribution to this study.