• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 1998

To enhance the washing efficiency of soil polluted by hydrophobic organic compounds, the effects of electrolytes and monomeric organic additives on micelle formation and washing efficiency of mixed surfactant solutions were investigated in this study. The surface tensions and critical micelle concentrations(CMCs) of the single and mixed surfactant solutions[$POE_5$/SDS] supplemented by NaCl were measured to investigate the effects on washing efficiency, and the composition ratios of surfactants and NaCl were optimized for the efficient soil washing system. As the mixing ratio of $POE_5$/SDS was increased to 80%, the mixed surfactant with 0.01M NaCl showed more proportional increase of washing efficiency than the mixed surfactant without any salts. The 3% solution of $POE_5$ and SDS(80%/2o%) with 0.01M NaCl showed the washing efficiency of 90%. However, the washing efficiency was not enhanced by NaCl addition to the single surfactant solution of $POE_5$. The CMC of SDS(0.049%) was higher than that of $POE_5$(0.016%), but the CMCs of mixed surfactants were decreased as the mixing ratio of $POE_5$ was increased. Alcohols having longer chain and branched carbon chain were found to be desirable for the soil washing additives.