Biological remediation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon contaminated soils using Acinetobacter sp.
- Univ. of Akron, OH (United States)
Soils contaminated with polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pose a hazard to life. The remediation of such sites has been attempted using various methods such as solvent washing, air stripping, incineration, composting, electrokinetic remediation, and supercritical extraction. However, applicability of these physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods or their combination is critically dependent on soil characteristics, nature and level of contamination, site specifications, and economic feasibility, to name a few. Present research is aimed at studying the applicability of biological treatment for decontamination of industrial soil containing PAHs. The current preliminary study included soil analysis, contaminant characterization, and soil treatment using Acinetobacter sp. The soil treatment over a 5-week period, with minimal supplemental nutrient addition, showed removal efficiencies of 80% and more. The effect of initial microbial population in soil on the removal efficiency over a 5-week treatment period was studied. Experiments were designed to compare the removal efficiencies occurring in packed beds versus continuously-stirred tank reactor (CSTR)-type fermentation conditions. This also estimated a conservative range of decontamination efficiencies achievable using minimal control.
- OSTI ID:
- 218606
- Journal Information:
- Energy Sources, Vol. 18, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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