Use of cyclodextrins for the remediation of solvent contaminated porous media

Cyclodextrins are non-toxic, sugar-based substances that form complexes with many contaminants. Two different cyclodextrin varieties were investigated and it was shown that their presence in solution results in a significant increase of the apparent solubility of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE). By using a laboratory-scale air stripper, it was demonstrated that it is possible to reuse the cyclodextrin solution. Depending on the air flow rate, the necessary residence time of the cyclodextrin solution in the air stripper approaches that of cyclodextrin-free water.