Soils and waste water purification from oil products using combined methods under the North conditions

J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng. 2012;47(12):1733-8. doi: 10.1080/10934529.2012.689188.

Abstract

Oil and gas production and transportation in Russia is increasingly moving to the north regions. Such regions are characterized by relatively low self-purification capacity of the natural environments from the contaminants due to slow character of the energy exchange and mass transfer processes. Off-shore field development in the Barents Sea and oil product transportation can result in contamination, as confirmed by the national and international practice of the developed oil and gas regions. The research aims at development of the soil bioremediation methods and industrial waste water purification contaminated by oil products in the north-western region of Russia. The dynamics of oil products carry-over have been investigated under the field model experiments in podzolic soils: gas condensate, diesel fuel and mazut from oil and the plants were selected for phyto-remediation of contaminated soils under high north latitudes. It is shown that soil purification from light hydrocarbons takes place during one vegetation period. In three months of the vegetation period the gas condensate was completely removed from the soil, diesel fuel - almost completely (more than 90%). Residual amounts of heavy hydrocarbons were traced, even 1.5 later. The following plants that were highly resistant to the oil product contamination were recommended for bioremediation: Phalaroides arundinacea, Festuca pratensis, Phleum pratense, Leymus arenarius. There has been developed and patented the combined method of treatment of waste water contaminated with hydrocarbons based on inorganic coagulants and local oil-oxidizing bacteria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biodegradation, Environmental*
  • Festuca / metabolism
  • Oils / metabolism*
  • Phleum / metabolism
  • Soil Pollutants / metabolism*
  • Water Pollutants / metabolism*

Substances

  • Oils
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Water Pollutants