Application of surfactant enhanced permanganate oxidation and bidegradation of trichloroethylene in groundwater

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials Vol. 161; no. 1; pp. 111 - 119
• Main Authors: Tsai, T.T., Kao, C.M., Yeh, T.Y., Liang, S.H., Chien, H.Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15-01-2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and physicochemical phenomena; Chemical engineering; Chemical oxidation; Chemistry Techniques, Analytical - instrumentation; Chemistry Techniques, Analytical - methods; Exact sciences and technology; Groundwater contamination; Groundwaters; Manganese Compounds - chemistry; Natural water pollution; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxides - chemistry; Pollution; Reactors; Solutions; Surface-Active Agents - chemistry; Surfactant; Trichloroethylene; Trichloroethylene - chemistry; Water - analysis; Water - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water treatment and pollution; Groundwater contamination; Trichloroethylene; Surfactant; Chemical oxidation; Biodegradation; Permanganates; Dehalogenation; Pollutant behavior; Non ionic surfactant; Aerobe; Cometabolism; Organic solvent; Dechlorination; Decontamination; Batchwise; Chlorine Organic compounds; Oxidation; Water pollution; Bioremediation; Reactor; Organic compounds; Ground water; Ethylene(trichloro)
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.03.061

The industrial solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) is among the most ubiquitous chlorinated solvents found in groundwater contamination. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of using non-ionic surfactant Simple Green™ (SG) to enhance the oxidative dechlorination of TCE by potassium permanganate (KMnO
4) employing a continuous stir batch reactor system (CSBR) and column experiments. The effect of using surfactant SG to enhance the biodegradation of TCE via aerobic cometabolism was also examined. Results from CSBR experiments revealed that combination of KMnO
4 with surfactant SG significantly enhanced contaminant removal, particularly when the surfactant SG concentrated at its CMC. TCE degradation rates ranged from 74.1% to 85.7% without addition of surfactant SG while TCE degradation rates increased to ranging from 83.8% to 96.3% with presence of 0.1
wt% SG. Furthermore, results from column experiments showed that TCE was degraded from 38.1
μM to 6.2
μM in equivalent to 83.7% of TCE oxidation during first 560
min reaction. This study has also demonstrated that the addition of surfactant SG is a feasible method to enhance bioremediation efficiency for TCE contaminated groundwater. The complete TCE degradation was detected after 75 days of incubation with both 0.01 and 0.1
wt% of surfactant SG addition. Results revealed that surfactant enhanced chemical oxidation and bioremediation technology is one of feasible approaches to clean up TCE contaminated groundwater.