Recovering phenanthrene from spiked sand by a combined remediation process of micellar solubilization and cloud-point extraction

Molecular insights into the aggregation and solubilizing behavior of biocompatible amphiphiles Gelucire® 48/16 and Tetronics® 1304 in aqueous media

A comparative analysis of the micellar and solubilizing properties of two polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based amphiphilic biocompatible excipients: Gelucire® 48/16 (Ge 48/16) and Tetronics® 1304 (T1304), in the presence and absence of salt, was conducted. As there is a dearth of research in this area, the study aims to shed light on the behavior of these two nonionic surfactants and their potential as nanocarriers for solubilizing pharmaceuticals. Various techniques such as cloud point (CP), dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV spectrophotometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were employed. The solubility of quercetin (QCT), a flavonoid with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties, was evaluated and the interaction between QCT and the micellar system was examined. The analysis revealed the occurrence of strong interactions between QCT and surfactant molecules, resulting in enhanced solubility. It was observed that the micellar size and solubilizing ability were significantly improved in the presence of salt, while the CP decreased. Ge 48/16 exhibited superior performance, with a remarkable increase in the solubility of QCT in the presence of salt, suggesting its potential as an effective nanocarrier for a range of pharmaceutics, and yielding better therapeutic outcomes.

Remediation of polluted soil by a two-stage treatment system: desorption of phenanthrene in soil and electrochemical treatment to recover the extraction agent

In this study, the feasibility of a two-stage treatment process for the remediation of soil contaminated with phenanthrene as a model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) has been assessed at laboratory scale. The initial stage of the process involved contacting contaminated soil with a solution of Tween 80 to enhance the desorption of phenanthrene from soil. In order to simulate a flushing process this initial stage was carried out in a washing packed-bed soil column. At the optimised conditions the total phenanthrene removal attained a value of almost 65% after 3 days. The second stage of the suggested treatment involved regeneration of the washing solution via phenanthrene degradation. The use of an electrochemical treatment was proposed for surfactant recovery and degradation of contaminants present in the solution collected. This oxidation was accomplished via an electrochemical cell by using graphite as electrode material. The phenanthrene was almost totally degraded in 3 days, reaching a degradation of about 96%. In addition, a test in which this regenerated solution was employed in the washing process was carried out in shake flask and washing column. The results demonstrate that selective degradation of pollutants by electrochemical treatment is potentially effective in reusing surfactant in another polluted soil treatment.