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Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Open Source - Surfactant combinations for enhanced bioremediation

Several years ago surfactant combinations have been developed for enhanced degradation of recalcitrant compounds like polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). see Surfactant combinations for enhanced removal of contaminants
A principle formulation approach was invented delivering a range of closely related surfactant products, from which the most appropriate can be chosen by lab degradation tests. see Two-step bioreactor test for removal of contaminants of low bioavailability

I feel that now it is time to disclose the principles as Open Source for free usage and further development. The reason is that this is not my working field anymore and I have no time and money to exploit these results.

Surfactant formulations named T10, T15 and similar are basically prepared by melting nonionic surfactants with higher degree of ethoxylation (for example ethoxylated tallowyl alcohol with 10 to 50 EO units - Lutensol AT10, AT25, AT50) in fats, oils, grease or oleic acid and subsequent mixing (mixing ratio surfactant-oil between 1:3 and 3:1). After cooling paste like products are generated, which can easily be dispersed in water. Therefore they may be also be applicable for delivery of vegetable oil to stimulate degradation of chlorinated solvents.
Notation of T10S means that a smaller amount of starch is added (up to 20 %) to enhance biofilm formation on the contaminated soil.

Please feel free to contact me for further details.

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