Hybrid Technologies for the Remediation of Diesel Fuel Polluted Soil

Diesel fuel may be released into soil due to anthropogenic activities, such as accidental spills or leaks in underground storage tanks or pipelines. Since diesel fuel is mainly composed of hydrophobic organic compounds, it has low water solubility. Therefore, treating contaminated areas with conventional techniques is difficult. In this study, electrokinetic treatment of soil contaminated with diesel fuel was carried out. Two different hybrid approaches to pollutant removal were tested. A surfactant was used as a processing fluid during electrokinetic treatment to increase desorption and the solubility of diesel fuel. Additionally, a hybrid technology combining a Fenton reaction and electrokinetic remediation (EK‐Fenton) was tested in an attempt to generate favorable in situ degradation of pollutants. The efficiency of each treatment was determined based on diesel fuel removal. After 30 days of treatment, the highest removal of diesel fuel was found to be achieved with the EK‐Fenton process. Several approaches to the electrokinetic treatment of soil polluted with diesel fuel were evaluated. The use of surfactants as processing fluid was tested with the aim of increasing desorption and the solubility of diesel fuel, leading to improved removal by electroosmosis. Additionally, the EK‐Fenton process was investigated as a method of promoting in situ degradation of diesel fuel.