Surfactant enhanced regeneration of hydrophobic materials

摘要

A method of regenerating spent hydrophobic materials, and recovering material sorbed thereon whereby sorbed materials are removed by contacting same with a surfactant solution. The surfactant solution, is of sufficient concentration to form micelles which are aggregates of surfactant molecules with a hydrocarbon-like interior which solubilize a portion of the sorbed material. The resulting solution is removed from the hydrophobic material and the material contained therein separated from the solution. Any residual surfactant on the hydrophobic material may be flushed from the hydrophobic material, if necessary.