Effects of soil moisture on biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.
Soil water content has been shown empirically to affect the rate of degradation of petroleum products by indigenous microorganisms in a highly polluted soil. The kinetics of degradation under different soil water content were evaluated by measuring {sup 14}CO{sub 2} produced and released by microbes as they metabolized n-[1-{sup 14}C]hexadecane, [methyl-{sup 14}C]toluene, [ring-{sup 14}C]toluene, [1-{sup 14}C]naphthalene, [9-{sup 14}C]phenanthrene, and [side ring-{sup 14}C]anthracene. Measurements from batch kinetic experiments showed that the degradation of {sup 14}C-labeled petroleum compounds depends strongly on soil water content for the silt loam soil tested. The dependency, however, is compound specific, and very likely soil specific as well, although only one soil type was tested here. For aromatic hydrocarbons, a soil water content between 50% and 70% of field capacity appears to be optimum for the biodegradation process to proceed at a maximum rate. The fit of {sup 14}CO{sub 2} measurements to a first-order kinetic model also depends on the complexity of the hydrocarbons and the soil water content.
- OSTI ID:
- 467750
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950483-; ISBN 1-57477-003-9; TRN: 97:008334
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 3. international in situ and on-site bioreclamation symposium, San Diego, CA (United States), 24-27 Apr 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of In situ aeration: Air sparging, bioventing, and related remediation process; Hinchee, R.E. [ed.] [Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, OH (United States)]; Miller, R.N. [ed.] [Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence, Brooks AFB, TX (United States)]; Johnson, P.C. [ed.] [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States)]; PB: 630 p.; Bioremediation, Volume 3(2)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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