Electrokinetic remediation of β-cyclodextrin dissolved petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil using multiple electrodes

Electrokinetic (EK) migration of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), which is inclusive of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), is an economically beneficial and environmentally friendly remediation process for oil-contaminated soils. This study investigated the removal of TPHs from soil samples collected at a field site via EK remediation using multiple electrodes at 200 V/m. The TPH contents declined after the 10-day EK remediation, with removal rate decreased with increasing chain length of hydrocarbons. During EK treatment, pH decreased at the anode and increased at the cathode. The microbial strains in the original soil sample were partly flushed out. The power consumption to remove one gram of TPH from the studied soil was estimated 0.37 kWh. The EK remediation presents a cost effective remediation technology for the present field sample.