Release Of Petroleum Hydrocarbons From Bioremediated Soils

Abstract

This article presents a qualitative evaluation of the extent to which the bioavailability (release) of a chemical is related to the biodegradation of hydrocarbons in a field bioremediation unit. The objectives of this research were to (1) quantify the rate of release of petroleum hydrocarbons from two soils that were bioremediated, (2) explore hydrocarbon release as a process affecting bioremediation; and (3) investigate the impact of bioremediation on chemical release in the two soils. An experimental protocol was used to quantify the rate of release of these hydrocarbons from two soils that had been bioremediated in a field-scale prepared bed land treatment unit. One soil showed little change in hydrocarbon concentration during 55 weeks of prepared bed bioremediation. The field study results indicated that, prior to the bioremediation, this soil had reached an environmentally acceptable endpoint. The second soil showed considerable hydrocarbon loss as a result of the bioremediation. The rate of hydrocar...