Removal of methyl parathion by surfactant-assisted soil washing and subsequent wastewater biological treatment

Abstract

e aim of this work is to present an integrated process for the remediation of soils contaminated with o,o-dimethyl o-(pnitrophenyl)phosphorothioate, known as methyl parathion (MP), by surfactant-enhanced soil washing and treatment of the produced wastewaters in an aerobic-submerged bio lter. Soils containing approximately 0.4 and 13 mg/kg of MP were washed using anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic, and natural surfactants. Between 63 and 98% of the initial concentrations of MP were removed. Wastewater produced from soil washing with the addition of a natural biosurfactant, locust bean gum [0.01% (w/w)], was used for the experiments in an aerobic-submerged bio lter in which MP concentration decreased from an initial value of 0.78 mg/L up to a value of 0.05 mg/L in 6 days, indicating the feasibility of the treatment proposed.

Use of surfactants for the remediation of contaminated soils: A review

“…The results showed that, using the 1% (w/w) TX-100 washing solution, more than 84% of pentachlorophenol could be extracted from fine sandy soil and silt [94]. In Torres's research, 88% of methyl parathion in soil was removed under the same TX-100 concentration [95]. Rios et al [96] inspected the efficiencies of two kinds of nonionic surfactants on the desorption of dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) from soils.…”

“…Bordas [131] conducted a series of dynamic column elution tests, suggesting that rhamnolipids at a high concentration (5.0 g/L) could remove ~70% of the pyrene in soil. At a low dose of 0.1 wt%, locust bean gums washing liquid was able to extract 99.5~99.7% of methyl parathion from contaminated soil, and the removal efficiency obtained by gums was 84.2~99.7% [95]. Jorfi et al [132] used the biosurfactant extracted from Pseudomonas aeruginosa SP4 to enhance pyrene removal from the contaminated soil.…”

Advanced technologies for the remediation of pesticide-contaminated soils

“…Surfactants are also used to increase the bioavailability of pesticides to be degraded by soil microorganisms. In the paper from Torres et al (2012) the removal of methyl parathion using anionic, non-ionic, cationic and natural surfactants was studied, and wastewater was biologically treated.…”

Enhancing methyl parathion degradation by the immobilization of Burkholderia sp. isolated from agricultural soils

“…In Mexico, MP is one of the most commonly used pesticides and has been used extensively for insect control with crops, including avocados, rice, onions, peaches, spinach, and strawberries. Although the use of MP is legal, its trade has recently been restricted (Torres, Ramos, Avila, & Ortiz, ), and it can be found in soil and water, as well as in waste. It is considered extremely dangerous and is included in the Ia Category of the World Health Organization (WHO, ).…”