Micellar Enhanced Ultrafiltration for the Removal of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Mixtures in Underground Contaminated Water in Oman

Abstract

In an attempt to analyze polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in diesel contaminated underground water in Oman (Rustaq), Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry was first used to determine the different concentrations in a standard mixture containing 16 PAHs. Retention time and calibration curves were obtained for all aromatic compounds and were used to identify a given analyte as well as its concentration in the contaminated underground water. Micellar enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) was then used to treat standard aqueous solution of PAHs at low concentration (~ 1 ppb) using an edible nonionic surfactant (Tween 80). The totality of the mixture components was completely rejected. Within the experimental detection limit (± 0.01 ppb), the residual PAH concentrations were less than 0.01 ppb in accord with the allowed concentrations in drinking water. Likewise, excellent rejections of PAHs in MEUF treatment of diesel contaminated underground water at an Omani site (Rustaq) were observed. The concentration of PAHs was reduced to less than 0.01 ppb, the accepted limit for the most toxic member of the PAH group (benzo(a)pyrene).