Fate and transport of petroleum hydrocarbons in engineered biopiles in polar regions

Abstract

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

Bioremediation techniques–classification based on site of application: principles, advantages, limitations and prospects

“…The components of this technique are: aeration, irrigation, nutrient and leachate collection systems, and a treatment bed. The use of this particular ex situ technique is increasingly being considered due to its constructive features including cost effectiveness, which enables effective biodegradation on the condition that nutrient, temperature and aeration are adequately controlled (Whelan et al 2015 ). The application of biopile to polluted sites can help limit volatilization of low molecular weight (LMW) pollutants; it can also be used effectively to remediate polluted extreme environments such as the very cold regions (Dias et al 2015 ; Gomez and Sartaj 2014 ; Whelan et al 2015 ).…”

“…The use of this particular ex situ technique is increasingly being considered due to its constructive features including cost effectiveness, which enables effective biodegradation on the condition that nutrient, temperature and aeration are adequately controlled (Whelan et al 2015 ). The application of biopile to polluted sites can help limit volatilization of low molecular weight (LMW) pollutants; it can also be used effectively to remediate polluted extreme environments such as the very cold regions (Dias et al 2015 ; Gomez and Sartaj 2014 ; Whelan et al 2015 ). In line with this, Gomez and Sartaj ( 2014 ) studied the effects of different application rates (3 and 6 ml/m 3 ) of microbial consortia, and mature compost (5 and 10 %) on total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) reduction in field-scale biopiles at low temperature conditions, using response surface methodology (RSM) based on factorial design of experiment (DoE) tone.…”

Bibliometric Analysis of Hydrocarbon Bioremediation in Cold Regions and a Review on Enhanced Soil Bioremediation

“…Soil temperature is another parameter to be assessed prior to the bioremediation implementation. Studies highlighted that the hydrocarbon bioremediation in cold regions should be implemented during the summer season, which generally has a higher temperature (10–15 °C) that stimulates the microbial activity and the thawing of frozen soils [ 48 ]. The correlation between sunlight exposure and soil temperature in cold environments has been investigated, suggesting that a longer exposure period can boost the soil temperature and enhance hydrocarbon biodegradation [ 49 ].…”

Survival and Energy Producing Strategies of Alkane Degraders Under Extreme Conditions and Their Biotechnological Potential

“…Biopile bioremediation involves excavation of polluted soil, followed by supply of nutrients and air for increasing microbial hydrocarbon degradation and promoting bioremediation. Biopile remediation has recently been applied to polluted extreme environments such as cold regions ( Gomez and Sartaj, 2014 ; Dias et al, 2015 ; Whelan et al, 2015 ; Martínez Álvarez et al, 2017 ). In a recent study, a previously suggested nutrient ratio (C:N:P ratio of 100:17.6:1.73) for biological activity (as FDA levels) was used to treat 0.4-ton geomembrane-covered biopiles from diesel fuel storage tanks of Antarctic expedition ( Martínez Álvarez et al, 2017 ).…”