Mechanism of surfactant in trichloroethene degradation in aqueous solution by sodium persulfate activated with chelated-Fe(II)

The mechanism of surfactants in surfactant-in situ chemical oxidation (S-ISCO) coupled process for trichloroethene (TCE) degradation was firstly reported. The performance of TCE solubilization and inhibition of TCE degradation in three nonionic surfactants (TW-80, Brij-35, TX-100) in PS/Fe(II)/citric acid (CA) system was compared and TW-80 was evaluated to be the optimal surfactant in S-ISCO coupled process due to the best TCE solubilizing ability and minimal inhibition for TCE degradation (only 31.8% TCE inhibition in the presence of 1 g L−1 TW-80 surfactant). The inhibition mechanism in TCE degradation was also demonstrated by comparing the strength of ROSs and PS utilization. In the presence of TW-80 (1 g L−1), over 97.5% TCE was removed at the PS/Fe(II)/CA/TCE molar ratio of 30/4/4/1, in which more than 86.7% TCE was dechlorinated. The result of scavenger experiments revealed that the dominant radicals were HO• and SO4−• in PS/Fe(II)/CA system in TW-80 containing aqueous solution, among which SO4−• performed a greater role in TCE removal. Moreover, over 85.3% TCE degradation in actual groundwater revealed the potential of PS/Fe(II)/CA process for actual groundwater remediation in containing TW-80 of TCE contaminant. This research provided a novel alternative technology for groundwater remediation with TCE contaminant when containing surfactants. [Display omitted] •TW-80 was evaluated to be the optimal surfactants in S-ISCO coupled process.•The mechanism of TW-80 in TCE solubilization and degradation was investigated.•HO• and SO4−• was the primary ROSs in PS/Fe(II)/CA system in the presence of TW-80.•Effective degradation of TCE in actual groundwater containing TW-80 was achieved.