EFFECTS OF FLOW RATE AND TEMPERATURE ON THE DISSOLUTION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS TRANSFERRING FROM A NONAQUEOUS PHASE LIQUID TO NONIONIC SURFACTANT SOLUTIONS

Abstract

The effects of flow rate and temperature on the dissolution of two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds, naphthalene and phenanthrene, transferring from a synthesized nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) comprised of hexadecane and the 2 PAHs into different nonionic surfactant solutions were investigated using a reactor with a spinning cell. The variation of the flow rate was possible by changing the angular velocity of the spinning cell. The flow rate generally increased the values of the mass transfer coefficients and the rates of mass transferred for both aromatics in the absence and presence of a surfactant in the aqueous phase. In comparison to the pure aqueous solution the results suggest that the addition of a surfactant at all doses investigated enhanced the rates of mass transfer for both PAHs. As the temperature increased the rates of mass transfer for both PAHs in the solutions of surfactants increased. The increase in the temperature has a much greater effect on the rates of mass transfer for both PAHs in solutions of the surfactant Triton X-100 than in Brij 35. In solutions of the surfactant Triton X-100 a decrease in the mass transfer coefficient for both PAHs with surfactant concentration was observed for the temperatures investigated.