Enhanced electrokinetic soil remediation for removal of organic contaminants

Organic contamination in soil is a common problem at hazardous waste sites. This study investigates the application of enhanced electrokinetic soil pr ocessing to remediate soils contaminated with phenol (C6H5OH) and PCP (pent achlorophenol: Cl5C6OH). Electrokinetic soil remediation has high removal e fficiency and time-effectiveness in low permeability sons such as clay. Thi s experimental study examined the enhanced process of electrokinetically pu rging chemicals from saturated soils. Electrokinetic soil processing can si gnificantly remove non-polar organic contaminants with electromigration, el ectroosomosis, diffusion and electrolysis of water. The removal efficiency is significantly influenced by applied voltage and current, type of purging solutions, soil pH, permeability and zeta potentials of soil. Defending on the original level or load of pollutants and the duration of the removal p rocess, the removal efficiencies of phenol and FCP were higher than 85% ove r the duration of 4 days and mainly dependent on the electroosmotic flow.