Using Surfactant System to Wash a Polluted Soil by Petroleum Derivatives in Egyptian Abu Madi Fields in Terms of Emulsification

The exploration and production activities of the natural gas in Abu Madi region (in middle delta) progressed in the last decade. The condensate hydrocarbon and formation water are bi‐products produced during the natural gas industry. The accompanied water contains 10–15% condensate (gasoline). This water with gasoline was drained into the Shehab El‐Din drain. The farmers were used this water to irrigate their fields. Great areas of the fields were out of order of planting as the result of gasoline pollution. This work concentrates on washing the polluted soil using locally prepared surfactant (LABSA‐Na) in the washing process. The soil sample was picked up from the Abu Madi field and was divided into pots (four pots for each treatment). The experiment was designed on the basis of polluting the soil by gasoline (condensate) from 1 to 10%. The washing process was carried out in presence of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5% surfactant solutions. The control and blank sample were taken in consideration. The washed and the latent oil percentages were determined using the spectrophotometric method. After polluting and washing the soil, the pots were fertilized and planted by Zea Mays. The pots were irrigated twice a week. The length of plants was followed up. The obtained results cleared that, the efficiency of washing process increases with increasing of the pollutant percentage and also with increasing of surfactant concentration. The maximum washed oil (gasoline) was obtained at 10% gasoline and 0.5% surfactant concentration. The length of plants after 21 days of planting were; 0 (no planting), 24, 34, 39, 54, and 57 cm against polluted soil and planted (control) washed soil by water only; washed soil by 0.1%; washed soil by 0.3%; washed soil by 0.5% and no polluted soil (blank) respectively. These data revealed that, removing the hydrocarbon from the soil by washing using surfactants is the most effective method as the result of solubilization and emulsification of the hydrocarbon by surfactant which make it more removable.

Keywords:

• Hydrocarbon soil pollution
• washing soil by surfactants
• cleaning soil
• emulsification
• planting