Characterization of disaggregated nonwettable surface soils found at old crude oil spill sites

Roy, James W.; McGill, W. B.

doi:10.4141/s97-039

Cited by 56 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Hydrophobic, soil organic matter components such as humic, fulvic and fatty acids, impart a water repellent character to a soil (Anderson et al, 1995). Ethanol has been used in many studies on water repellent soils (King, 1981;Roy and McGill, 1997) as it can break the surface tension of repellent soil, allowing increased infiltration. Ethanol present within diesel fuel would, therefore, enhance infiltration of diesel fuel into the soil profile by lessening the adsorptive capacity of the hydrophobic sites of soil organic matter components.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of alcohol addition on the movement of petroleum hydrocarbon fuels in soil

Adam

Gamoh

Morris

et al. 2002

Science of The Total Environment

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Groundwater contamination by fuel spills from aboveground and underground storage tanks has been of growing concern in recent years. This problem has been magnified by the addition of oxygenates, such as ethanol and methyl-tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) to fuels to reduce vehicular emissions to the atmosphere. These additives, although beneficial in reducing atmospheric pollution, may, however, increase groundwater contamination due to the co-solvency of petroleum hydrocarbons and by the provision of a preferential substrate for microbial utilisation. With the introduction of ethanol to diesel fuel imminent and the move away from MTBE use in many states of the USA, the environmental implications associated with ethanol additive fuels must be thoroughly investigated. Diesel fuel movement was followed in a 1-m soil column and the effect of ethanol addition to diesel fuel on this movement determined. The addition of 5% ethanol to diesel fuel was found to enhance the downward migration of the diesel fuel components, thus increasing the risk of groundwater contamination. A novel method using soil packed HPLC columns allowed the influence of ethanol on individual aromatic hydrocarbon movement to be studied. The levels of ethanol addition investigated were at the current additive level (approx. 25%) for ethanol additive fuels in Brazil and values above (50%) and below (10%) this level. An aqueous ethanol concentration above 10% was required for any movement to occur. At 25% aqueous ethanol, the majority of hydrocarbons were mobilised and the retention behaviour of the soil column lessened. At 50% aqueous ethanol, all the hydrocarbons were found to move unimpeded through the columns. The retention behaviour of the soil was found to change significantly when both organic matter content and silt clay content was reduced. Unexpectedly, sandy soil with low organic matter and low silt clay was found to have a retentive behaviour similar to sandy subsoil with moderate silt clay, but little organic matter. It was concluded that sand grains might have a more important role in the adsorption of petroleum hydrocarbons than first realised. This method has shown that soil packed HPLC columns can be used to provide a quick estimate of petroleum hydrocarbon, and possibly other organic contaminant, movement in a variety of different soil types.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of alcohol addition on the movement of petroleum hydrocarbon fuels in soil

Adam

Gamoh

Morris

et al. 2002

Science of The Total Environment

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“…In the field, it can persist for 50 yr or more (Roy and McGill 1998). In the laboratory, it resists complete and permanent elimination by nondestructive extraction procedures (Roy and McGill 2000).…”

Section: Persistencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Soil from the ELL site consists of Malmo silty clay loam (Eluviated Black Chernozemic); from the BRU site of eolian dune sand (Orthic Regosolic); and from the DEV site, of Ponoka loam (Eluviated Black Chernozemic). More detailed information about site characteristics can be found in Roy and McGill (1998).…”

Section: Study Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The vapour-phase sorption hypothesis states that volatile petroleum compounds entrapped at shallow subsoil depths migrate upward and accumulate on particle surfaces of upper soil horizons over time. This hypothesis was suggested by: (1) evidence that it takes several years or decades for water repellency to become expressed following oil contamination (Roy and McGill 1998), (2) detection of a strong petroleum odour in subsoil at some water-repellent sites, and (3) anecdotal reports of expanding water-repellent areas, especially in cultivated fields. The liquid-phase sorption hypothesis states that causative agents of water repellency sorbed to soil from the crude oil (liquid) phase soon following oil contamination, but, for some reason, later imparted water repellency to soil.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Investigation into mechanisms leading to the development, spread and persistence of soil water repellency following contamination by crude oil

Roy¹,

McGill²

2000

Can. J. Soil. Sci.

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Investigation into mechanisms leading to the development, spread and persistence of soil water repellency following contamination by crude oil. Can. J. Soil Sci. 80: 595-606. We investigated mechanisms by which soil water repellency may develop, spread and persist at old crude oil spill sites. We tested if its development may be due to soil sorption of vapour-phase petroleum compounds, its spread due to mechanical dispersal and mixing, and its persistence due to association of causative agents with humin and soil mineral surfaces. Development. Readily wettable soils acquired water repellency following 60 d of storage in the presence of oil-contaminated subsoil material. Change in soil wettability was attributed to soil sorption of vapour-phase petroleum compounds emanating from the contaminated material. We cite literature reports indicating that liquid-phase petroleum compounds can also cause soil water repellency. To that effect, we report how we tested and finally rejected the hypothesis that sorption of petroleum asphaltenes might be the sole cause of soil water repellency. Spread. We describe how mixing one mass unit of water-repellent soil with two to four mass units of wettable adjacent soil is sufficient to impart severe water repellency to soil mixes from three sites. Persistence. The water-repellent condition found at old crude oil spill sites is highly resistant to natural weathering and nondestructive extraction procedures. We show here that it also resists exhaustive extraction with 0.1 M NaOH and conclude that causative agents of soil water repellency are at least not solely associated with humic and fulvic acid fractions. Nous avons cherché à déterminer 1) si l'imperméabilisation du sol à l'eau aux emplacements de déversement de pétrole brut serait due à la sorption par le sol des composés pétroliers en phase vapeur, 2) si son extension se fait par dispersion et par mélange mécanique et 3) si la persistance est due à l'association des agents causaux avec les humines et avec les surfaces des minéraux du sol. Formation -Des sols facilement mouillables devenaient imperméables à l'eau au bout de 60 j de stockage en présence de matière du soussol pollué par le pétrole. Ces changements étaient imputés à la sorption par le sol des composés pétroliers en phase vapeur émanant des matières contaminées. Nous citons des documents publiés selon lesquels les composés pétrochimiques en phase liquide sont également capables de causer l'imperméabilisation. À cet égard nous expliquons comment nous avons testé, et finalement rejeté, l'hypothèse voulant que la sorption des asphaltènes du pétrole seraient l'unique cause du phénomène. Extension -Nous montrons comment le mélange d'une unité massique de sol imperméabilisé avec 2 à 4 unités de sol jouxtant mouillable était suffisant pour imperméabiliser gravement les sols provenant de trois emplacements. Persistance -L'hydrophobicité observée aux emplacements d'anciens déversements de pétrole brut est très résistante aux mécanismes naturels d'altération sur place et aux t...

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“…In the oil industry, it has been observed in old catastrophic spills in Alberta, Canada, in soils without any obvious indication of contamination (odor, color, consistency) and with very low hydrocarbon concentrations (Roy and McGill, 1998). Water repellency in soils appears to be related to several factors such as extended drought, sandy texture and soil burning.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water repellency in oil contaminated sandy and clayey soils

Adams

Guzmán-Osorio

Zavala-Cruz

2008

Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol.

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ABSTRACT:Two sites from a humid tropical environment were studied with respect to soil water repellency caused by hydrocarbon contamination. Samples were analyzed for water repellency (molarity ethanol droplet method), total petroleum hydrocarbons, acute toxicity (Microtox) and field capacity. At both sites, water absorption times were logarithmically related to the molarity ethanol drop value (R > 0.95). In a sandy soil collected from an old separation battery which had been bioremediated, field capacity was strongly related to hydrocarbon concentration (R = 0.998); and at 10,000 mg/kg the calculated field capacity was only 75 % of the baseline. Water repellency was related to hydrocarbon concentration asymptotically and plant growth limiting values (severity > 3.0) were observed at low concentrations (2,400 mg/kg), even though toxicity was at, or below background levels. Bioremediated soil at this site had hydrocarbon concentrations only 1,300 ppm above background, but had extreme water repellency (severity = 4.6 -4.7). Soil water repellency was also measured in a clayey, organic rich floodable soil, in a multiple pipeline right-of-way colonized by water tolerant pasture and cattails. Water repellency was associated with total petroleum hydrocarbon concentration (R = 0.962), but was not related to field capacity or toxicity. In this low-lying site, the water repellency observed in the laboratory is probably not representative of field conditions: samples taken at the end of the ten week dry season (and only four days before the first rains) showed ample moisture (> 80 % field capacity).

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Characterization of disaggregated nonwettable surface soils found at old crude oil spill sites

Cited by 56 publications

References 39 publications

Effect of alcohol addition on the movement of petroleum hydrocarbon fuels in soil

Effect of alcohol addition on the movement of petroleum hydrocarbon fuels in soil

Investigation into mechanisms leading to the development, spread and persistence of soil water repellency following contamination by crude oil

Water repellency in oil contaminated sandy and clayey soils

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