Abstract：The improvements of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) and sodium chloride to aqueous solution of Tween-20 were studied, which were used to absorb toluene, a representative of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the industrial plants. The toluene removal efficiency and critical micelle concentration (CMC) were measured for the aqueous solutions of Tween-20, Tween-20/SDBS and Tween-20/SDBS/sodium chloride, respectively. The toluene removal efficiency was improved significantly when the surfactant concentration reached above CMC. With the addition of SDBS and sodium chloride into the Tween-20 aqueous solution, the CMC was reduced, but the toluene removal efficiency increased. Under the air flow of 300 mL/min, the spray flow rate of 75 mL/min, the inlet toluene concentration of 800 mg/m3, the operation temperature of 30℃ and the surfactant concentration of 1CMC, the toluene removal efficiencies were 56%, 70% and 77% with Tween-20, Tween-20/SDBS (1/4) and Tween-20/SDBS /sodium chloride (1/4/0.1) aqueous solution as absorbent, respectively. The ternary combined surfactant aqueous solution exhibited the optimum absorption effect which could reduce the dosage of surfactant and save the operation cost of the VOC removal process.
