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SOLUBILITY, SORPTION AND TRANSPORT OF HYDROPHOBIC ORGANIC CHEMICALS IN COMPLEX MIXTURES
Citation:
Rao, P. C., L. S. Lee, AND A L. Wood*. SOLUBILITY, SORPTION AND TRANSPORT OF HYDROPHOBIC ORGANIC CHEMICALS IN COMPLEX MIXTURES. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/M-91/009 (NTIS 91-240556), 1991.
Impact/Purpose:
information
Description:
The research summarized in this report focuses on the effects which organic cosolvents have on the sorption and mobility of organic contaminants. This work was initiated In an effort to improve our understanding of the environmental consequences associated with complex mixtures and to enhance our ability to deal with these consequences in a technically responsible manner. Specific objectives of the project were to: (1) measure solubility and sorption for selected organic chemicals in complex solvent mixtures consisting of mixtures of organic cosolvents and water; and (2) utilize isocratlc- and gradient-elutlon techniques to characterize the Impacts of organic cosolvents on the transport of hydrophobic organic chemicals in soils and aquifer media. The results of this work have application to the definition, prediction and remediation of soil and groundwater contamination problems. Since an increase in the concentration of organic cosolvents is reflected In decreased sorption, organic contaminants at waste disposal/spill sites are likely to be present at higher concentrations In pore water. Decreased sorption, in tum, will lead to organic contaminants being transported further than predicted from aqueous-based transport data. While this manifestation of cosolvency can exacerbate environmental problems, Judicious application of the principles of cosolvency can assist In alleviating eXisting problems. For example, removal of contaminated soils from a disposal/spill site and extraction with solvent mixtures (socalled "solvent washing") is one remediation technique that is receiving considerable anention. The results presented here should be of direct use In selection of the appropriate solvent mixtures to extract the organic contaminants of Interest.