Laboratory Experiments to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Persulfate to Oxidize BTEX in Saline Environment and at Elevated Temperature Using Stable Isotopes

In this study, batch experiments were carried out to investigate the effectiveness of persulfate (PS) as an oxidant agent remediate benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in saline environments at high water temperatures (30 °C). This hydrological setting is quite common contaminated groundwater aquifers Middle Eastern countries. general, increasing system temperature from 10 30 °C greatly enhanced PS, resulted a faster oxidation rate for target contaminants. When PS was added reactor °C, targeted contaminants almost completely oxidized over 98-day reaction period. During chemical BTEX, carbon hydrogen isotope fractionations monitored utilized potential proof contaminant degradation. The calculated carbon-enrichment values −1.9‰ −1.5‰ ethylbenzene −0.4‰ ρ,m-xylene, −1.4‰ o-xylene, while enrichment −9.5‰, −6.8‰, −2.1‰, −6.9‰, −9.1‰, respectively. comparison with other processes, during by smaller than resulting sulfate reduction denitrification. observation demonstrates differences transformation pathways when compounds undergo or biodegradation. distinct trend observed on dual plot (Δδ13C vs. Δδ2H) suggests that compound-specific analysis can be monitor BTEX distinguish treatment zones where biodegradation technologies are applied simultaneously.