Improved Decontamination: Interfacial, Transport, and Chemical Properties of Aqueous Surfactant Cleaners

This investigation is focused on decontamination using environmentally benign aqueous solutions, specifically the removal of organics and associated radionuclide and heavy-metal contaminants by surfactants. Aqueous-based solutions promise several advantages for decontamination processes, including low hazard potential, low cost, and reduced secondary waste volume through solvent recycle, solvent degradation, and/or incineration. The work aims at gaining an understanding of interfacial, transport, and chemical processes that govern the effectiveness of aqueous-based surfactant solutions for decontamination of surfaces. In addition, efficient means for separation of waste materials from aqueous-based cleaners will be investigated. It is intended that the understanding developed in this work will be applied to decontamination/decommissioning tasks by laboratory testing of samples from DOE contaminated sites, and that the tests will provide the basis for improved approaches for removal of organic contamination