Adsorption Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Chlorinated and Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Aquifer Medium

Abstract

To determine the competitive adsorption characteristics and influencing factors of chlorinated and aromatic hydrocarbons on the aquifer medium, toluene, benzene, 1,2−dichloropropane, and 1,2,3−trichloropropane (TCP) were selected as typical pollutants for adsorption tests. The results showed that the adsorption process of pollutants on the aquifer medium conformed to the first−order kinetic and Henry linear model equation, and the adsorption capacity decreased in the order of toluene, benzene, 1,2−dichloropropane, and TCP. Benzene promoted the adsorption of toluene on the aquifer medium, while toluene reduced the adsorption of benzene conversely. 1,2−dichloropropane restrained the adsorption of TCP, and TCP had no significant effect on the adsorption of 1,2−dichloropropane. The adsorption capacity of TCP on the aquifer increased with the concentration of toluene. TCP acted as a stimulus for the adsorption of toluene when the initial concentration of toluene was lower than 2 mg/L. In contrast, TCP served as an inhibitor for the adsorption of toluene on the aquifer medium. Furthermore, the adsorption of all pollutants increased with decreasing medium size. The promotion rates for aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons were 7.2~41.1% and 2.7~27.1%, suggesting that the promotion effect on aromatic hydrocarbons was stronger than that on chlorinated hydrocarbons. Natural organic matter (NOM) inhibited the adsorption of pollutants on the aquifer medium (especially for high concentrations of chlorinated hydrocarbons), and the adsorption rate increased by more than 60% when OM decreased from 0.25% to 0.08%. Clay minerals improved the adsorption of organic pollutants in different compound pollution systems, and montmorillonite exhibited a stronger promoting effect than kaolin.