Microemulsion Catalysis and S-ISCO® as a Basis for Designing Green Solutions for the Environment

  

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VeruTEK has been a pioneer in the design of Microemulsion Catalysis systems for the safe, green destruction of contaminants in the environment.  Microemulsion catalysis is essential to overcome organic chemical reagent incompatibility and is well documented in organic synthesis. Problems with existing technologies  for the remediation of Non Aqueous Phase Liquids (NAPLs) exist because the oxidizing reagents (oxidants and catalysts) are in an aqueous phase and the pollutants are predominantly in the organic phase.  This is also true of biocatalytic remediation reactions when NAPLs are present.   

VeruTEK’s S-ISCO® patent pending technology which combines plant surfactants, oxidants, and green catalysts has been shown to be effective in destroying oils, coal tar, creosote, chlorinated solvents and other toxic contaminants associated with NAPLs.  Beyond environmental remediation, microemulsion systems have many industrial and commercial applications such as catalysis, medical, personal care and agricultural uses.

VeruTEK and EPA scientists (see Hoag et al. Degradation of Bromothymol Blue by “Greener” Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron Synthesized Using Plant Polyphenols, Royal Society of Chemistry Journal of Materials Science and Nadagouda et al.  Green Synthesis of Au Nanostructures at Room Temperature Using Biodegradable Plant Surfactants, American Chemical Society Crystal Growth and Design) and others (see Fallis et al. (2009), Locus-Specific Microemulsion Catalysts for Sulfur Mustard (HD) Chemical Warfare Agent Decontamination, JAMS) have documented  the basis and rationale for the design of oxidative and reductive catalysts for the destruction of environmental toxins.  These publications represent central advances in environmental technology that will be built upon for many years to come.  These papers clear up some of the confusion and dogma still prevalent in the marketplace-  yes, surfactants and oxidants can be combined in stable formulations – and provide a green technology platform to build upon.

Plant – based surfactants – dilute hydrogen peroxide solutions provide one example of new microemulsion catalytic systems as a framework for designing green solutions to many environmental problems, including industrial, commercial and residential cleaning products.  For example, VeruTEK designed a nontoxic surface washing agent to destroy beach tar balls and ocean oils which is presented below.  The practical application of this technology is an alternative to the toxic dispersant used in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.  Instead of sinking much of the crude oil while increasing aquatic toxicity, a VeruTEK surface washing agent would provide a green eco-friendly approach to destroying crude oil through emulsification and oxidation (Microemulsion Catalysis) and to additionally take advantage of natural destruction from sunlight and wave action.

Example of the Power of Microemulsion Catalysis Using S-ISCO®:  Destruction of Oil Contaminated Beach Sand Using a Plant-Based Surfactant – Hydrogen Peroxide – Green Catalyst System

FL Beach Sand – Final Soil

DI Water (left), and S-ISCO® Treatment (right)

Surfactant-Enhanced In Situ Chemical Oxidation (S-ISCO®) batch tests were conducted on weathered crude oil and tar ball contaminated Pensacola Florida beach sand. Jars were filled with 400 grams of contaminated beach sand, followed by the S-ISCO® treatment chemicals. The jar on the left acted as a control and contained beach sand with 400 mL of deionized water, and the jar on the right was treated with S-ISCO® chemicals. Within fourteen days, oil was removed from the beach sand and destroyed in place using VeruSOL®-Marine 200, hydrogen peroxide, and GreenCAT, a green synthesized catalyst.

ConSoil 2010

  

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Dr. George Hoag is attending:

CONSOIL 2010

In Austria September 22nd- 24th

Verutek Technologies, Inc. - Green Technologies for Environmental Remediation

  

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The development of green technologies for environmental remediation has now advanced to a stage where site‐specific solutions are being developed based on contaminant chemistry, geologic particle‐size distribution and stratigraphy, and costs. The theory and practice of plant surfactant‐oxidant chemistry is being used to develop green technologies that compete cost‐wise with excavation/landfilling while providing more complete remediation and safer remedies.

Read more: GREEN TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION