Effects of ferrocene on the phase behavior of alkanes in a microemulsion system

Ferrocene is a metallic additive that has been used to boost the octane number of gasoline. Even though ferrocene is not an environmental contaminant of high concern, it can be found in soil contaminated with gasoline. Due to its organometallic properties, ferrocene may affect the phase behavior of other alkanes, contaminating the environment and limit their removal using surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation (SEAR). Therefore, the aim of this work is to investigate the effects of ferrocene on the solubilization behavior of alkanes in micellar surfactant solutions. The equivalent alkane carbon number (EACN) of ferrocene was first determined and found to be 8.386. Subsequently, the phase behaviors of alkanes (as representative of gasoline) in a microemulsion system were investigated. In this study, different parameters were studied, namely the concentrations of ferrocene, electrolytes, and the types of alkanes.