Researches about the Decontamination Process of Soils Polluted with Hydrocarbons by Applying the Bioremediation Method - Partial Results

Abstract

In Romania there are many lands polluted with hydrocarbons, which require decontamination, as they have a significant impact upon the environment and upon the human health. From the decontamination methods, the bioremediation process seems to be quite effective and at the same time it involves low costs. The microorganisms have a very diverse range of metabolic activities for the decomposition of organic compounds that exist in nature. Among the bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to have the best capacity to degrade hydrocarbons. The research activities in respect of the identification of the current pollution condition with hydrocarbons of the soil and groundwater, the exact delimitation of the polluted area which requires decontamination were performed in 2010, on Titu site (in Dâmboviţa county), a former oil products warehouse, but we also took into consideration the previous investigations (2006, 2009). On the soil and groundwater samples we carried out TPH, BTEX, and PAH tests. Following the interpretation of the tests results, taking into consideration the Order 756/1997, in case of soil, respectively the “Dutch List” in case of groundwater it was found a significant exceeding of the limit values. As we knew the pollution concentrations specific to the soil, the exposure ways and the receivers exposed to the effects, the risk assessment study was performed with the help of the RBCA software application (RBCA Tool Kit 1.3a). The risk assessment study showed the necessity of soil and groundwater decontamination on Titu site, as it is risky both for the environment and for the human health. The soil volume we identified to require decontamination was 3.290 compact m3 and the groundwater volume to decontaminate was 3.584 m3.