Method for in situ soil decontamination and micro-emulsion suitable therefor

A method for in situ cleanup of soil contaminated with a pollutant, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a micro-emulsion having an oil component, a surfactant component and castor oil ethoxylate, wherein said oil component comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of triglycerides, essential oils and fatty acid esters, and said surfactant component comprises at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of a branched anionic surfactant, a multi-chain anionic surfactant, and a branched multi-chain anionic surfactant, and
• flowing said micro-emulsion through said contaminated soil at a temperature of between 0° C. and 20° C., thereby extracting the pollutant from said contaminated soil.

A method for in situ cleanup of soil contaminated with a pollutant, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a micro-emulsion having an oil component and a surfactant component, wherein said oil component is rape seed oil methyl ester, and said surfactant component comprises at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of a branched anionic surfactant, a multi-chain anionic surfactant, and a branched multi-chain anionic surfactant, and
• flowing said micro-emulsion through said contaminated soil at a temperature of between 0° C. and 20° C., thereby extracting the pollutant from said contaminated soil.

A method for in situ cleanup of soil contaminated with a pollutant, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a bi-continuous micro-emulsion having an oil component and a surfactant component, wherein said oil component comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of triglycerides, essential oils and fatty acid esters, and said surfactant component comprises at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of a branched anionic surfactant, a multi-chain anionic surfactant, and a branched multi-chain anionic surfactant, and
• flowing said micro-emulsion through said contaminated soil at a temperature of between 0° C. and 20° C., thereby extracting the pollutant from said contaminated soil.

A method for in situ cleanup of soil contaminated with a pollutant, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a micro-emulsion having an oil component and a surfactant component, wherein said oil component comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of triglycerides, essential oils and fatty acid esters, and said surfactant component comprises a mixture of a non-ionic surfactant and at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of a branched anionic surfactant, a multi-chain anionic surfactant, and a branched multi-chain anionic surfactant, wherein a mixing ratio is Selected such that a phase behavior of an anionic surfactant is obtained, and
• flowing said micro-emulsion through said contaminated soil at a temperature of between 0° C. and 20° C., thereby extracting the pollutant from said contaminated soil.