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Ultrasonic Enhanced Desorption of DDT from Contaminated Soils

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Abstract

In this study, using high-power low-frequency ultrasound, heated slurries with anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were treated to enhance desorption of DDT from soils with high clay, silt, and organic matter content and different pH (5.6–8.4). The results were compared with DDT extracted using a strong solvent combination as reference. Slurry ranges from 5 to 20 wt.% were studied. For a soil slurry (10 wt.%) at pH 6.9 with 0.1% v/v SDS surfactant heated to 40°C for 30 min, desorption was above 80% in 30 s using 20 kHz, 932 W/L ultrasonic intensity without solvent extraction. Other soils gave lower desorption efficiency in the range 40–60% after 30 s ultrasonic treatment. The percentage of organic matter, dissolved organic carbon, soil surface area, clay and silt percentage, and soil pH level were the key parameters influencing variations in desorption of DDT in the three soils in similar experimental conditions. DDT dissolution in SDS and soil organic matter removal employing the ultrasonic-enhanced organic matter roll-up mechanism emerged as the two best possible methods of DDT desorption. The method offers a practical, potentially low-cost alternative to high volume, costly, hazardous solvent extraction of DDT.

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Acknowledgements

Thanga Kandasamy gratefully acknowledges the University of South Australia for University President scholarship and CRC CARE for scholarship and research funding. The authors also thank Dr. Zuliang Chen of CERAR for his help with the analytical equipment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation (CERAR), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, 5095, Australia

    Kandasamy Thangavadivel, Mallavarapu Megharaj & Ravi Naidu

  2. Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, 5095, Australia

    Kandasamy Thangavadivel, Mallavarapu Megharaj & Ravi Naidu

  3. Applied Centre for Structural and Synchrotron Studies, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, 5095, Australia

    Roger St. C. Smart

  4. Applied Physics, School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA5095, Australia

    Peter J. Lesniewski

  5. Cavitus Pty Ltd., Research Laboratories, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA5095, Australia

    Darren Bates

Authors
  1. Kandasamy Thangavadivel
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  2. Mallavarapu Megharaj
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  3. Roger St. C. Smart
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  4. Peter J. Lesniewski
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  5. Darren Bates
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  6. Ravi Naidu
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Correspondence to Mallavarapu Megharaj.

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Thangavadivel, K., Megharaj, M., Smart, R.S.C. et al. Ultrasonic Enhanced Desorption of DDT from Contaminated Soils. Water Air Soil Pollut 217, 115–125 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0572-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0572-0

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