Bioremediation of petroleum spills in arctic and subarctic environments: A feasibility study. Updated report
Bioremediation is the process of enhancing indigenous microbes in soil and groundwater to metabolize organic contaminates into harmless by-products. Oil-degrading microorganisms are widely distributed in Alaska's soils. Researchers have biodegraded Prudhoe Bay crude oil in test plots from Barrow to Palmer, Alaska. Bioremediation methods increase soil oxygen and nutrient levels by aeration and fertilization. Soil microbes respond by increasing their activity and population. The larger and more active microbial population utilizes the crude oil as a carbon source and accelerate the degradation of the oil. Polyethylene coverings significantly raise summer soil temperatures. However, special attention must be given to oxygen transport. Hydrogen peroxide injected into soil and groundwater at 100 ppm significantly elevates oxygen levels without detrimental effects to microbes. Fertilizers that utilize inorganic sources of nitrogen and contain N:P:K ratios of 10:1:1 stimulate microbial growth.
- Research Organization:
- Alaska Dept. of Transportation and Public Facilities, Fairbanks, AK (USA). Statewide Research
- OSTI ID:
- 6777033
- Report Number(s):
- PB-90-263195/XAB; AK-RD--90-07
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540250 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (1990-)
540350 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (1990-)
AERATION
ALASKA
ALKALI METALS
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
ARCTIC OCEAN
BAYS
BEAUFORT SEA
BIODEGRADATION
BY-PRODUCTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTAMINATION
COVERINGS
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION X
FERTILIZERS
FIELD TESTS
FLUID INJECTION
GROUND WATER
GROWTH
HEATING
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
LAND POLLUTION
MASS TRANSFER
METABOLISM
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SPILLS
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEROXIDES
PHOSPHORUS
POLLUTION
POTASSIUM
PRUDHOE BAY
SEAS
SOILS
SURFACE WATERS
TESTING
USA
WATER
WATER POLLUTION