SURFACTANT ADSOLUBILIZATION AND MODIFIED ADMICELLAR SORPTION OF NONPOLAR, POLAR, AND IONIZABLE ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS

Adsolubilization of contaminants by media-sorbed surfactants is an important phenomenon for surfactant-based environmental technologies. The present research evaluates the impacts of contaminant properties on adsolubilization (e.g., nonpolar, polar, and ionizable organic compounds). In addition, adsolubilization by modified admicelles is investigated (operating below the surfactant's Krafft temperature). The medium and surfactant investigated were alumina and sodium dodecyl sulfate, respectively. Naphthalene, naphthol, and 4-amino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid were investigated as nonpolar, polar, and ionizable organic compounds, respectively. Variations in adsolubilization results for these compounds are explained based on surfactant fundamentals and contaminant properties. Modified admicelles effectively adsolubilized organic molecules without requiring the presence of surfactant monomers. Implications of these results to surfactant-based environmental technologies are discussed.