ABSTRACT
The adsorption isotherms for standard soil contaminated with moderate and large amounts of organic matter are largely identical. The adsorption of surface-active substances by soil contaminated by large quantities of organic matter is significantly higher than adsorption by moderately contaminated standard soil or quartz sand.
After 16 d of incubation of Emulsogen® ITN and Emulsogen® ITL with biologically reactivated standard soils, degradation rates of 90% were measured. In the screening test, i.e., under sewer outfall conditions, more than 90% of the anionic components and the nonionic surfactant content were removed from the mineral nutrient solution. Under the conditions of the confirmatory test (activated sludge plant), the anionic surfactants were eliminated immediately and 80% of the nonionic content after an adaptation phase of 10 d.
