Applications of functional nanoparticle-stabilized surfactant foam in petroleum-contaminated soil remediation

Jia Liu; Wen-Yan Li; Hong-Xin Chen; Shuang-Qiang Li; Li-Heng Yang; Kai-Ming Peng; Chen Cai; Xiang-Feng Huang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130267

Applications of functional nanoparticle-stabilized surfactant foam in petroleum-contaminated soil remediation

J Hazard Mater. 2023 Feb 5;443(Pt B):130267. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130267. Epub 2022 Oct 28.

Authors

Jia Liu¹, Wen-Yan Li², Hong-Xin Chen³, Shuang-Qiang Li², Li-Heng Yang², Kai-Ming Peng², Chen Cai², Xiang-Feng Huang⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Shanghai 200092, China; Frontiers Science Center for Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Shanghai 200092, China.
² College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Shanghai 200092, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
⁴ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Shanghai 200092, China; Frontiers Science Center for Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address: hxf@tongji.edu.cn.

PMID: 36444047
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130267

Abstract

Surfactant foam (SF) can be used to remediate petroleum-contaminated soil because of its easy transfer to inhomogeneous and low-permeability formations. Nanoparticles (NPs) not only stabilize SF under extreme conditions but also impart various functions, aiding the removal of petroleum contaminants. This review discusses the stabilization mechanisms of nanoparticle-stabilized SF (NP-SF) as well as the effects of NP size, chargeability, wettability, and NP-to-surfactant ratio on foam stability. SF stabilized by inert SiO₂ NPs is most commonly used to remediate soil contaminated with crude oil and diesel. Low dose of SF stabilized by nano zero-valent iron is cost-effective for treating soil contaminated with chlorinated organics and heavy metal ions. The efficiency and recyclability of Al₂O₃/Fe₃O₄ NPs in the remediation of diesel and crude oil contamination could be enhanced by applying a magnetic field. This review provides a theoretical basis and practical guidelines for developing functional NP-SF to improve the remediation of petroleum-contaminated soils. Future research should focus on the structural design of photocatalytic NPs and the application of catalytic NP-SF in soil remediation.

Keywords: Contact angle; Foam quality; Low-permeability formation; Magnetic field; Oil tolerance; TiO(2).

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aerosols
Nanoparticles*
Petroleum*
Pulmonary Surfactants*
Silicon Dioxide
Soil
Surface-Active Agents

Substances

Surface-Active Agents
Petroleum
Silicon Dioxide
Pulmonary Surfactants
Aerosols
Soil