Patent ID: 7976241

Claim:
A method for reducing the concentration of a contaminant in a soil, comprising: introducing an oxidant and a surfactant into a subsurface containing the soil; allowing the surfactant to solubilize or desorb the contaminant; and allowing the oxidant to oxidize the solubilized contaminant in the subsurface, so that the amount of the contaminant in the soil is substantially reduced, wherein the overall rate of oxidization of the contaminant is controlled to a predetermined value and the overall rate of solubilization of the contaminant is controlled to a predetermined value by selecting the oxidant and surfactant and adjusting the concentrations of the surfactant and oxidant, so that the rate of oxidation of the contaminant is greater than, less than, or equal to the rate of solubilization of the contaminant, wherein at least 40% of the initial mass of contaminant is destroyed in situ in the subsurface, wherein the surfactant resists oxidation by the oxidant, and the surfactant increases oxidation of the contaminant, and wherein the contaminant comprises a nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL).