Bioremediation of soil contaminated with hydrocarbons and heavy metals

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:490921

Plessis, C.A. du; Phaal, C B; Senior, E ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Natal, Scottsville (South Africa)

This investigation showed that a soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals had sufficient indigenous microbial activity for hydrocarbon biodegradation under nonlimiting conditions. Nutrient supplementation with nitrogen and phosphate, together with aeration, seemed to be the most important factors for enhancing biodegradation. Hydrocarbon biodegradation occurred to a much greater extent under aerobic than under anaerobic conditions. Biodegradation did, however, induce low pH conditions and thus caused high heavy-metal concentrations in the leachate. Anaerobic conditions inhibited hydrocarbon biodegradation with no subsequent drop in pH and low heavy-metal concentrations in the leachate. Thus, anaerobic conditions were shown to facilitate less metal mobility than low pH conditions. Air sparging did not cause a significant increase in biodegradation. Adsorption of heavy-fraction hydrocarbons (> C{sub 20}) to microorganisms and colloidal material in the leachate was suspected of facilitating mobility of these fractions and thus their subsequent detection in the leachate.

• OSTI ID: 490921
• Report Number(s): CONF-950483--; ISBN 1-57477-007-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
BIODEGRADATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
HYDROCARBONS
METALS
OIL SPILLS
PH VALUE
REMEDIAL ACTION
SOILS