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This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of surfactants in enhancing the remediation of contaminated soils. The study examines recent and older research on the use of effluent treatment techniques combined with synthetic surface-active agents, bio-surfactants, and various categories of surfactants for soil reclamation purposes. The main purpose of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of surfactants in enhancing the remediation of contaminated soils. The research question is to explore the mechanisms through which surfactants enhance soil remediation and to assess the potential benefits and limitations of surfactant-based remediation methods. This review was conducted through an extensive literature search of relevant articles published in scientific databases. The articles were selected based on their relevance to the topic and their methodological rigor. Types of possible soil pollutants and the requirements of specific surfactants were discussed. Structural relationships between pollutant and surfactants were described thoroughly. Extensive study revealed that surfactants have shown great potential in enhancing the remediation of contaminated soils. Surfactants can improve the solubility and mobility of hydrophobic contaminants and facilitate their removal from soil. However, the effectiveness of surfactant-based remediation methods depends on several factors, including the type of contaminant, the soil properties, and the surfactant concentration and type. Surfactant-enhanced soil remediation can be an effective and sustainable method for addressing soil contamination. However, the optimal conditions for using surfactants depend on the specific site characteristics and contaminant properties, and further research is needed to optimize the use of surfactants in soil remediation.
Tiwari et al. (Fri,) studied this question.