Effect of Application of Surfactants on Hydraulic Properties of Soils

Abu‐Zreig, Majed; Rudra, R. P.; Dickinson, W. T.

doi:10.1016/s1537-5110(02)00244-1

Cited by 96 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Surfactants, such as linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), are other common waste-water contaminants, which accumulation in soil may have adverse effects. Although these effects are not always observed and depend on the surfactant type (Abu-Zreig et al, 2003;Sklarz et al, 2013), their accumulation may generate water-repellent soils, with effects in hydraulic properties and crop productivity (Doerr et al, 2000;Wiel-Shafran et al, 2006). In addition, changes in the structure of soil bacterial communities due to surfactant contamination have been reported (Sánchez-Peinado et al, 2010).…”

Section: Contaminantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wastewater reuse in irrigation: A microbiological perspective on implications in soil fertility and human and environmental health

Becerra-Castro

Lopes

Vaz‐Moreira

et al. 2015

Environment International

418

211

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The reuse of treated wastewater, in particular for irrigation, is an increasingly common practice, encouraged by governments and official entities worldwide. Irrigation with wastewater may have implications at two different levels: alter the physicochemical and microbiological properties of the soil and/or introduce and contribute to the accumulation of chemical and biological contaminants in soil. The first may affect soil productivity and fertility; the second may pose serious risks to the human and environmental health. The sustainable wastewater reuse in agriculture should prevent both types of effects, requiring a holistic and integrated risk assessment. In this article we critically review possible effects of irrigation with treated wastewater, with special emphasis on soil microbiota. The maintenance of a rich and diversified autochthonous soil microbiota and the use of treated wastewater with minimal levels of potential soil contaminants are proposed as sine qua non conditions to achieve a sustainable wastewater reuse for irrigation.

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Section: Contaminantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wastewater reuse in irrigation: A microbiological perspective on implications in soil fertility and human and environmental health

Becerra-Castro

Lopes

Vaz‐Moreira

et al. 2015

Environment International

418

211

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The use of such wastewater has been recognized as an important management option for farmland irrigation, especially in arid regions, where water resources are scarce and wastewater is the only or the major water resource [3]. Surfactants, the widely used chemical additives in household cleaning and personal care products [4], are generally the dominant source of xenobiotic organic compounds found in sewage and municipal wastewater [5,6], and their concentrations meet or exceed several or even tens of grams per kilogram [7][8][9][10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to the reduction of the liquid/solid interfacial tension, the surfactant in the soils will also increase the contact angle between the liquid and minerals; thus causing a reduction in capillary rise [3,22]. However, Law and Kunze (1966) argued that water molecules are adsorbed more strongly on the oxygen-hydrogen groups of the adsorbed surfactant, which should in turn increase the capillary rise [23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, Law and Kunze (1966) argued that water molecules are adsorbed more strongly on the oxygen-hydrogen groups of the adsorbed surfactant, which should in turn increase the capillary rise [23]. Although surfactants are commonly introduced into soils to improve infiltration capacity, in their column tests Abu-Zreig et al (2003) observed a decreased in the infiltration rate when the surfactant was applied [3]. However in their analysis, Lehrsch et al (2011) observed an identical tension infiltration in both the presence and the absence of the surfactant [24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Abu-Zreig et al (2003) determined that the surface tension and contact angle were not the mechanisms behind the K s reduction, since water in saturated soils moves mainly in large pores, in which the capillary force does not predominate [3]. Many studies were undertaken to analyze the collapse of soil aggregates induced by anionic surfactant [15,25,26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influence of Anionic Surfactant on Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Loamy Sand and Sandy Loam Soils

Peng

Darnault

Baveye

et al. 2017

Water

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Surfactants released into the terrestrial environment in large amounts can potentially alter the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils, particularly the saturated hydraulic conductivity (K s ). Unfortunately findings regarding this process are quite limited. In this study, column tests were used to analyze the effects of Aerosol 22, a widely used anionic surfactant, on K s of loamy sand and sandy loam soils. Solutions were injected into columns from the bottom with controlled pressure heads. Both the overall K s of columns and the K s of 6 layers at distances of 0-1 cm, 1-3 cm, 3-5 cm, 5-7 cm, 7-9 cm, and 9-10 cm from the bottom, were continuously monitored before and after the surfactant injections. Results showed that the overall K s of all columns decreased after 2-4 pore volumes of the surfactant injections. However, stabilization and even increase at the beginning of the surfactant injection was also observed due to the different K s variations in different layers. Specifically, a surfactant injection of 2-4 pore volumes continuously decreased the K s of the 0-1 cm layers which yielded a K s reduction of two orders of magnitude and dominated the K s variations of the column. In contrast, an increase in the K s of the 1-3 cm and 3-5 cm layers was more likely, while K s variation of the 5-10 cm layers was less likely. We hypothetically attributed the K s variations to the swelling of clay, the collapse of soil aggregates and subsequent particle displacements from surfactant adsorption, which caused pore clogging in the bottom 0-1 cm layer and higher porosities in the layers above. The adsorption of the surfactant aggregates and crystallization were also possibly thought to cause a pore clogging in the bottom layer thus decrease the surfactant concentration from the inlet, the severity of which affects these layers less at greater distances from the inlet. In view of the uncertainty showed by the experimental results, we also suggest to include more replicate columns in future studies, so as to increase the repeatability of the measurements.

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Surfactant and irrigation effects on wettable soils: runoff, erosion, and water retention responses

Lehrsch

Sojka

Reed

et al. 2010

Hydrological Processes

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Abstract:Surfactants are chemical compounds that can change the contact angle of a water drop on solid surfaces and are commonly used to increase infiltration into water repellent soil. Since production fields with water repellent soil often contain areas of wettable soil, surfactants applied to such fields worldwide will likely be applied to wettable soil, with unknown consequences for irrigation-induced erosion, runoff, or soil water relations. We evaluated surfactant and simulated sprinkler irrigation effects on these responses for three wettable, Pacific Northwest soils, Latahco and Rad silt loams, and Quincy sand. Along with an untreated control, we studied three surfactants: an alkyl polyglycoside (APG) in solution at a concentration of 18 g active ingredient (AI) kg 1 , a block copolymer at 26 g kg 1 , and a blend of the two at 43 g kg 1 . From 2005 to 2009 in the laboratory, each surfactant was sprayed at a rate of 46Ð8 l ha 1 onto each soil packed by tamping into 1Ð2-by 1Ð5-m steel boxes. Thereafter, each treated soil was irrigated twice at 88 mm h 1 with surfactant-free well water. After each irrigation, runoff and sediment loss were measured and soil samples were collected. While measured properties differed among soils and irrigations, surfactants had no effect on runoff, sediment loss, splash loss, or tension infiltration, compared to the control. Across all soils, however, the APG increased volumetric water contents by about 3% (significant at p Ä 0Ð08) at matric potentials from 0 to 20 kPa compared to the control. With a decrease in the liquid-solid contact angle on treated soil surfaces, surfactant-free water appeared able to enter, and be retained in pores with diameters ½15 µm. All told, surfactants applied at economic rates to these wettable Pacific Northwest soils posed little risk of increasing either runoff or erosion or harming soil water relations. Moreover, by increasing water retention at high potentials, surfactants applied to wettable soils may allow water containing pesticides or other agricultural chemicals to better penetrate soil pores, thereby increasing the efficacy of the co-applied materials.

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Effect of Application of Surfactants on Hydraulic Properties of Soils

Cited by 96 publications

References 22 publications

Wastewater reuse in irrigation: A microbiological perspective on implications in soil fertility and human and environmental health

Wastewater reuse in irrigation: A microbiological perspective on implications in soil fertility and human and environmental health

Influence of Anionic Surfactant on Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Loamy Sand and Sandy Loam Soils

Surfactant and irrigation effects on wettable soils: runoff, erosion, and water retention responses

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