Remediation of Pesticide Contaminated Soil with Biosurfactants Produced from Brewery Waste
摘要
The adsorption capacity of two common pesticides used in agriculture (thiamethoxam and imidacloprid) in four types of soil (sand, aluminum silicate, a commercial topsoil, and a natural soil) was determined. The results proved that natural soil and topsoil adsorbed the pesticides more effectively due to particle size, soil composition, and organic matter content. The pesticide desorption and extraction from soil was tested using commercial surfactants and biosurfactants obtained by brewery waste fermentation. These results were used to design an electrokinetic treatment to remediate pesticide contaminated soils. In the designed electrokinetic treatment, pesticides were extracted and dissolved in the interstitial fluid by biosurfactant activity. Electroosmosis and electromigration transported pesticides toward the cathode. Various absorbents (activated carbon and Kraft lignin) were tested to retain the pesticides accumulated in the cathode fluid. The objective of this adsorption was to facilitate the treatment of the cathode fluid in large-scale applications. Results allow to conclude that the combination of biosurfactants and activated carbon in the electrokinetic treatment of contaminated soils was a practical and effective method for the removal of pesticides.