Effects of surfactants on the biodegradation of toluene in soil
The objective of this investigation was to observe and evaluate the effects of surfactants on the biodegradation of toluene in the subsurface. Soil microcosms containing gasoline were used to simulate conditions of an aquifer contaminated with hydrocarbons. The surfactants were the nonionics, Su...
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| Format: | Others |
| Language: | en |
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Virginia Tech
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10919/43100 http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06102012-040552/ |
| Summary: | The objective of this investigation was to observe and evaluate
the effects of surfactants on the biodegradation of toluene in the
subsurface. Soil microcosms containing gasoline were used to simulate
conditions of an aquifer contaminated with hydrocarbons. The
surfactants were the nonionics, Surfonic N-40 and N-95. Three volumes
of gasoline, 0.005, 0.05, and 0.1 mL, were injected into separate
microcosms in order to observe changes in toluene concentration in both
adsorbed component conditions and free-phase, interstitial gasoline
conditions. The data presented are the results from the microcosms
containing 0.005 mL gasoline. -Dissolved toluene was only partially
biodegraded in the microcosms containing free-phase hydrocarbons. The
lack of complete biodegradation was believed to be due to substrate
toxicity. === Master of Science |
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