Enhanced Natural Biodegradation of Diesel Fuel Contaminants in Soil by Addition of Whey and Nutrients

Abstract

The contamination of soils by petroleum hydrocarbons, such as diesel fuel, has since many years been a serious environmental problem. Treatment of contaminated areas is a concern for governments and environmental authorities in several countries and efforts have been done with the purpose to eliminate this problem. Different methods have been tested and today the most common technique involves the excavation and transportation of contaminated soil to special treatment facilities. In earlier studies we have demonstrated the effect of adding organic amendments, such as fermented whey, on the biodegradation of n-alkanes in diesel contaminated soil. Non-fermented sweet whey also proved significantly to enhance the biodegradation of an aromatic substance (phenanthrene) in contaminated soil. The current paper presents the results of an in-situ field test at a former gas station in the north of Sweden. In parallel to the field study, biodegradation profiles were monitored under controlled laboratory conditions by taking soil samples from the contaminated site and spike them with diesel fuel. The experiments were carried out by adding whey and mineral nutrients (NPK) to the test area and to the laboratory samples, and monitor the degradation of hydrocarbons by gas chromatographic analysis of extracted soil samples. Significant effects on the degradation rates were achieved in the laboratory tests. For the in-situ test, however, no such positive effects could be registered.

Appropriate technology for soil remediation in tropical low-income countries - a pilot scale test of three different amendments for accelerated biodegradation of diesel fuel in Ultisol

“…Statistically significant (p < 0.05) acceleration of DRO degradation compared to the control was observed at both day 45 and 101 for the high-level treatment with whey (WH). This effect is consistent with previous results from laboratory experiments on phenanthrene degradation in diesel contaminated soil (Jonsson & Ostberg, 2011) and degradation of diesel fuel in soil from an abandoned petrol station in Sweden (Vilches, Bylund et al 2010) and suggest that the results from the previous laboratory scale experiments on whey are applicable in field-like conditions. The treatment with the lower level of whey (WL) did not show any positive effect on degradation rates compared to the control, nor did the other two amendments (PA and CT) in either of the two treatment levels.…”

“…The soil was spiked with commercial petroleum diesel fuel to a concentration of 5.00 g diesel kg −1 dw soil which is approximately twice the concentration found at a disused petrol station (Vilches, Bylund et al 2010). The diesel was manually and uniformly dispersed on top of the soil and left to seep through the soil for 2 days before the first sampling.…”

“…Three liquid by-products from farming operations are; whey, pyroligneous acid (PA) and compost tea (CT) (Haller et al, 2018). In our previous research, whey has shown positive results on biodegradation of diesel fuel hydrocarbons in soil (Östberg et al, 2006, Vilches, Bylund et al 2010Jonsson & Ostberg, 2011). An inventory of waste products to be used as amendments for in situ bioremediation in developing countries indicated that PA and CT would be appropriate amendments because of their documented stimulating effect on microorganisms and their liquid nature (Haller et al, 2012).…”