A general mathematical model for chemical-enhanced flushing of soil contaminated by organic compounds

The use of chemical agents to enhance the in situ removal of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) from porous media is an emerging remediation technology. Whereas surfactants and cosolvents are the primary agents examined to date, others, such as natural organic matter and complexing agents, have also been examined for their ability to enhance the solubilization of HOCs. While the mode of action of each type of enhanced-solubilization agent may be different, they all induce similar responses. In this paper, a general mathematical model is developed to simulate the enhanced-solubilization process for various chemical agents, including cosolvents, surfactants, natural organic matter, and complexing agents. This model is developed using a master-equation approach that incorporates the solubilization mechanisms associated with each type of agent. A limited evaluation of the model is conducted by comparing simulations to the results of two laboratory experiments. A sensitivity analysis is performed to illustrate the influence of various factors on contaminant removal.