24A dynamic multi-media model that includes temperature-dependency for partitioning 25 and degradation was developed to predict the behaviour of petroleum hydrocarbons 26 during biopiling at low temperature. The activation energy (Ea) for degradation was 27 derived by fitting the Arrhenius equation to hydrocarbon concentrations from 28 temperature-controlled soil mesocosms contaminated with crude oil and diesel. The 29 model was then applied to field-scale biopiles containing soil contaminated with 30 diesel and kerosene at Casey Station, Antarctica. Temporal changes of total petroleum 31 hydrocarbons (TPH) concentrations were very well described and predictions for 32 individual hydrocarbon fractions were generally acceptable (disparity between 33 measured and predicted concentrations was less than a factor two for most fractions). 34Biodegradation was predicted to be the dominant loss mechanism for all but the 35 lightest aliphatic fractions, for which volatilisation was most important. Summertime 36 losses were significant, resulting in TPH concentrations which were about 25% of 37 initial concentrations just one year after the start of treatment. This contrasts with the 38 slow rates often reported for hydrocarbons in situ and suggests that relatively simple 39 remediation techniques can be effective even in Antarctica. 40 41
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.