Application of Ozone Micro-nano Bubble Water in Soil Remediation (Part One)

Application of Ozone Micro-nano Bubble Water in Soil Remediation (Part One)

Soil is an important foundation for human survival and development. However, with the advancement of industrialization and urbanization, soil pollution has become increasingly severe. Seeking efficient and environmentally friendly soil remediation technologies has become an urgent task. Ozone micro-nano bubble water, as an emerging soil remediation technology, is gradually demonstrating its unique advantages and huge potential.

Ozone micro-nano bubble water plays multiple important roles in soil remediation. Firstly, its strong oxidation and degradation ability for organic pollutants is particularly prominent. Ozone itself is a strong oxidant with a redox potential as high as 2.07 eV, capable of rapidly killing bacteria and viruses. It can also generate reactive oxygen species such as hydroxyl radicals, efficiently degrading organic pollutants in the soil. Moreover, the micro-nano bubble technology significantly enhances the mass transfer efficiency and solubility of ozone in water, with the mass transfer coefficient and utilization rate being 1.6 - 2.7 times and 2.3 - 3.2 times that of a conventional bubble system, respectively. This greatly boosts its oxidation capacity. As a result, it can more effectively decompose pollutants in complex organic-contaminated soils, providing a strong guarantee for soil purification.

In addition to degrading organic pollutants, ozone micro-nano bubble water can also improve the physical and chemical properties of soil. Long-term irrigation may lead to weakened soil permeability, but ozone micro-nano bubble water can alleviate this issue and enhance the soil's oxygen diffusion rate. Meanwhile, it reduces the concentration of reductive substances such as Fe²⁺ and Mn²⁺ through oxidation, thereby improving the soil environment. Moreover, it has a removal effect on inorganic pollutants such as heavy metals in sediments or soil. For instance, under specific conditions, the removal rate of Cr(Ⅲ) in sediments can reach 97.5%. This indicates that ozone micro-nano bubble water has a wide range of applications and good effects in soil remediation.

Application Field - Organic Polluted Soil Remediation

In the field of organic polluted soil remediation, ozone micro-nano bubble water performs exceptionally well. It has a highly efficient removal effect on organic pollutants in soil such as chlorophenols, triphenyl compounds, and trichloroethylene. Taking 4-chlorophenol as an example, the removal rate of ozone nano-bubbles is 6.9 times higher than that of ordinary ozone macro-bubbles; the removal rate of triphenyl compounds in sediment can reach up to 91.50%. This fully demonstrates the powerful ability of ozone micro-nano bubble water in treating organic pollutants, effectively reducing the content of organic pollutants in soil and restoring the ecological function of soil.

In addition, ozone micro-nano bubble water can also be used for the remediation of petroleum-contaminated sites. When the micro-nano bubble washing system is used to treat petroleum-contaminated soil, the total petroleum hydrocarbon removal rate can reach 25.9%. At the same time, combined with microbial degradation technology, it can also treat xylene contamination in the soil, improve oxygen utilization efficiency and alleviate soil clogging problems. This indicates that ozone micro-nano bubble water can not only play a role independently in the remediation of organic contaminated soil, but also be combined with other technologies to further enhance the remediation effect, providing more possibilities for solving complex organic contaminated soil problems.

Application Field - Groundwater and Sediment Remediation

Ozone micro-nano bubble water also plays a significant role in the remediation of groundwater and sediment. It can be used for in-situ remediation of groundwater pollution in landfill sites and other areas. By injecting micro-nano bubbles to increase the dissolved oxygen concentration and redox potential, it can effectively remove pollutants such as COD and NH₃-N. This is of great significance for improving groundwater quality and ensuring the safety of underground water resources. Around landfill sites, groundwater is often affected by various pollutants. The application of ozone micro-nano bubble water can carry out in-situ remediation of groundwater without damaging the original environment, reducing the impact on the surrounding ecological environment.

For lake sediment environments, ozone micro-nano bubble water can also play a positive role. It can inhibit phosphorus release and control water eutrophication. Phosphorus in lake sediment is one of the important factors leading to water eutrophication. Through its special mechanism of action, ozone micro-nano bubble water can reduce phosphorus release, thereby improving lake water quality and protecting the balance of the lake ecosystem. This has important practical significance for maintaining the ecological environment of lakes and promoting the sustainable utilization of water resources.

Application Field - Soil Sterilization and Improvement in Agriculture

In the agricultural sector, ozone micro-nano bubble water can be utilized for soil sterilization and improvement. By continuously sterilizing nutrient soil with high-concentration ozone micro-nano bubble water, pathogenic fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum can be effectively eliminated without causing significant negative effects on plants. In agricultural production, the invasion of pathogenic fungi often leads to reduced crop yields or even total crop failure. The application of ozone micro-nano bubble water can provide a healthy growth environment for crops, reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases, and enhance the yield and quality of crops.

In addition, using ozone micro-nano bubble water for irrigation can enhance soil aeration and alleviate the problem of hypoxia in the root zone. The root systems of crops require sufficient oxygen for respiration, and poor soil aeration can lead to hypoxia in the root zone, affecting the growth of crops. The application of ozone micro-nano bubble water can improve the aeration conditions of the soil, providing favorable growth conditions for the root systems of crops and promoting their healthy growth. This plays a significant role in enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural production.

Ozone micro-nano bubble water has obvious technical advantages in soil remediation. Micro-nano bubbles possess high stability, large specific surface area, high mass transfer efficiency and the ability to generate free radicals, which makes ozone micro-nano bubble water more effective in soil remediation than traditional aeration methods. It can more effectively deliver ozone into the soil, enhance oxidation efficiency, and thus degrade pollutants more rapidly. Moreover, ozone micro-nano bubble water is easy to operate, cost-effective, and does not require complex equipment or significant human input, giving it a significant advantage in practical applications.

In conclusion, ozone micro-nano bubble water demonstrates significant potential in the degradation of soil organic pollution, the removal of inorganic pollutants, the improvement of soil properties, and the control of pathogenic bacteria by enhancing the oxidation and mass transfer capabilities of ozone. It is an efficient and environmentally friendly emerging technology for soil remediation. It offers a new approach and method for addressing soil pollution issues and has broad application prospects. In future soil remediation efforts, ozone micro-nano bubble water is expected to play a greater role and make important contributions to improving soil environmental quality.