Sorption and Transport of Organic Pollutants at Waste Disposal Sites

Abstract

Chemodynamic properties of organic pollutants, such as solubility, sorption, and transport, have usually been characterized with water and /or aqueous electrolyte solutions as the solvent and with single organic solute systems. We define here complex mixtures as those systems having multiple solutes and multiple solvents. The solute mixtures of interest may consist of various combinations of nonpolar hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOC), hydrophobic ionizable organic chemicals (HIOC), and ionizable organic chemicals (IOC). The solvent may be a mixture of water and one or more of completely-miscible organic solvents (CMOS) and partially-miscible organic solvents (PMOS). We denote solvents consisting only of water and CMOS in a single homogeneous liquid phase as mixed solvents. Those solvents with water plus PMOS and CMOS and form at least two distinct liquid phases will be referred to as multi-phase solvents. Numerous examples of complex mixtures, as defined above, are found at or near all hazardous waste disposal and spill sites. Thus, examining the chemodynamics of complex mixtures is essential for predicting the environmental impact from the disposal of hazardous wastes on land.