Many chemical reagents play an important role in soil remediation, such as chelating agents EDTA, EDDS, etc. A recent study by the Nanjing Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences found that the surfactant Triton X-100 can be used in soil remediation and has extraordinary applications value.

Researchers have proposed a method that can effectively remove persistent organic pollutants in soil. They transferred the contaminated soil to electrical remediation equipment, and then added hydrogen peroxide and other oxidants as well as Triton X- 100 to the soil. Then adjust the pH value of the electrolyte and start the electric repair device to remove the persistent organic pollutants in the soil. The test results show that Triton X-100 can change the binding state of hydrophobic persistent organic pollutants and soil particles, dissolve in the water phase and transfer from the soil, thereby effectively removing the persistent organic pollutants from the soil.

Triton X-100 is a non-ionic surfactant with CAS number 9002-93-1, which has good compatibility with other types of surfactants. In this soil remediation method, Triton X-100 can significantly increase the dissolution rate of persistent organic pollutants, insoluble compounds that are tightly bound to soil particles, compared to other surfactants, and promote the soil through electric remediation devices The migration of middle oxidant and surfactant as co-solvent promotes the transport and diffusion of co-solvent in the soil. For example, it has better solubility for the iron in the soil itself. Without adding exogenous iron, it can accelerate the cyclic reaction of Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ in the soil, and continuously supply Fe²⁺ to the system. More Fe²⁺ can promote S₂O₈^2-activation produces sulfate radicals (SO₄·^-) and hydroxyl radicals (HO·-, E0=2.8V), thereby oxidatively degrading persistent organic pollutants more effectively.

Triton X-100 has a wide range of applications in chemical, textile, water treatment and other industrial fields, life sciences, in vitro diagnostics and other fields.

This work found that Triton X-100 can synergistically enhance the effect of advanced oxidation to remove persistent organic pollutants, which provides a direction for its wider application.