Skip to main content
Log in

Biological-chemical treatment of soils contaminated with exploration and production wastes

  • Published:
Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Oil-gas exploration and production (E&P) soils contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) have been tested for degradation by two different treatments: biological and chemical. Biological treatment includes the use of native microorganisms for transformation of the various hydrocarbons found in E&P soils. Degradation of TPH of 80 and 86%, was achieved for two different soils, respectively in control experiments. The effect of growth stimulants such as glucose, acetic acid, and valeric acid was examined on TPH degradation. Incorporation of inducer (valerate) enhanced the degradation up to 89 and 93%, for the two soils, respectively. A large portion (> 41%) of contaminant in one soil was comprised of compounds in the carbon range of C10-C16 and < 7% constituted carbon range of C24-C28. The degradation of C10-C16 compounds was higher (> 98%) as compared to C24-C28 compounds (< 75%). Likewise, the degradation rate was also higher (58 mg/kg/d) for lower compounds as compared to higher carbon range compounds (6.7 mg/kg/d). Experiments conducted on chemical treatment included the effect of chelators on stabilization of H2O2, comparative studies between buffer and water (used for soil preparation), and the effect of pH on TPH degradation. The rate of oxygen evolution from H2O2 was significantly reduced with use of either chelated iron or phosphate buffer using naphthelene as a model compound. Chemical treatment demonstrated a higher degradation of TPH from contaminated soils at pH 4.0 as compared to a pH of 7.0. More degradation was obtained with slurry prepared in phosphate buffer as compared to deionized water.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gauger, W. K., Kilbane, J. J., Kelley, R. L., and Srivastava, V. J. (1989), inIGT’s Second International Symposium on Gas, Oil, Coal, and Environmental Biotechnology, New Orleans pp. 171–203.

  2. Soni, B. K., Srivastava, V. J., Kayser, K., and Kelley, R. L. (1995), inEighth International IGT Symposium on Gas, Oil, and Environmental Biotechnology, Colorado Springs, CO. Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL, pp 105–120.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Kelley, R. L., Gauger, W. K., and Srivastava, V. J. (1990), inThird International IGT Symposium on Gas, Oil, and Environmental Biotechnology, Colorado Springs, CO. Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL pp. 105–120.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kelley, R. L., Srivastava, V. J., Conrad, J. R., Paterek, J. R., and Liu, B. Y. (1993), inSixth International IGT Symposium on Gas, Oil, and Environmental Biotechnology, Colorado Springs, CO. Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL pp. 453–469.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Kelley, R. L., Soni, B. K., Conrad, J. R., Misra, B., and Srivastava, V. J. (1996), inNinth International IGT Symposium on Gas, Oil, and Environmental Biotechnology, Colorado Springs, CO. Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL.

  6. Liu, B. Y., Srivastava, V. J., Paterek, J. R., Pradhan, S. P., Pope, J. R., Hayes, T. D., Linz, D. G., and Jerger, D. E. (1993), inSixth International IGT Symposium on Gas, Oil, and Environmental Biotechnology, Colorado Springs, CO. Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL pp. 119–133.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Liu, B. Y., Pradhan, S., Srivastava, V. J., Pope, J. R., Hayes, T. D., Linz, D. G., Proulx, C., Jerger, D. E., and Woodhull, P. M. (1994), inSeventh International IGT Symposium on Gas, Oil, and Environmental Biotechnology, Colorado Springs, CO. Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL pp. 221, 222.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Paterek, J. R. (1993), inHazardous and Environmental Sensitive Waste Management in the Gas Industry Symposium, Albuquerque, NM. Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL.

  9. Paterek, J. R., Aronstein, B., Rice, L. E., Jackowski, K. A., Srivastava, V. J., and Hayes, T. D. (1994), inSeventh International Biotechnology Symposium on Gas, Oil, and Environmental Biotechnology, Colorado Springs, CO. Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL, pp. 461–469.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Paterek, J. R., Aronstein, B. N., Rice, L. E., Srivastava, V. J., Chini, J., and Bohrnerud, A. (1994), inSeventh International IGT Symposium on Gas, Oil, and Environmental Biotechnology, Colorado Springs, CO. Institute of Gas Technology, Des Plaines, IL pp. 63–75.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Srivastava, V. J., Kelley, R. L., Paterek, J. R., Hayes, T. D., Nelson, G. L., and Golchin, J. (1994),Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 45/46, 741–755.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Watts, R. J., Udell, M. D., and Leung, S. W. (1992), inProceedings of the First International Symposium, Chemical Oxidation: Technology for the Nineties, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, February 20–22,1991, Eckenfelder, W. W., eds. et al. Technomic Publishing, Lancaster, PA, pp. 37–50.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Soni, B.K., Paterek, J.R., Pradhan, S. et al. Biological-chemical treatment of soils contaminated with exploration and production wastes. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 70, 709–718 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02920182

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02920182

Index Entries

Navigation