Organic-geochemical Differentiation of Petroleum-type Pollutants and Study of Their Fate in Danube Alluvial Sediments and Corresponding Water (Pančevo Oil Refinery, Serbia)

Abstract

A review is given in this paper of the up-todate results observed in differentiation and transformation studies on petroleum-type pollutants in underground and surface waters. Water and particulate matter derived from the locality of Pančevo Petroleum Refinery, Serbia (River Danube alluvial formations). It was shown that distributions of n-alkanes, steranes and triterpanes, and δ 13 C PDB values of n-alkanes may successfully be used for qualitatively differentiating the petroleum-type pollutants from native organic matter in recent sedimentary formations. In underground waters, a petroleum-type pollutant is exposed to microbiological degradation which is manifested through relatively fast degradation of n-alkanes. Following an almost complete degradation of crude oil n-alkanes in underground water, the biosynthesis of novel, even carbon-number C 16 -C 30 n-alkanes may be observed. It is shown that the n-alkane distribution observed in a petroleum-type pollutant may depend on the intensity of its previous interaction with water. The fate of petroleum-type pollutants in environmental waters may be predicted through laboratory simulative microbiological degradation experiments by using microorganism consortiums similar to those observed under relevant natural conditions, as well as on corresponding nutrient base.

Gas Chromatography in Environmental Sciences and Evaluation of Bioremediation

“…For analysis of samples from the environment the few most commonly used are flame ionization detector (FID), thermal conductivity detector (TCD), electron capture detector (ECD), nitrogen-phosphorous detector (NPD), flame photometric detector (FPD), photo ionization detectors (PID) and mass selective detector or mass spectrometer (MS) which also allows qualitative and quantitative analysis (Driscoll, 2004). The GC-FID technique is a routine technique for the quantitative analysis of all the non-polar hydrocarbons which are extracted by applied solvents (n-hexane or acetone / n-heptane), and it has various scopes, depending on the standard (ISO 16703, 2004;Jovančićevič et al, 1997;Jovančićević et al, 2007). It is also used for rapid semiquantitative assessments of the successfulness of bioremediation treatments of polluted environments (water, soil, sediments) or the decomposition of hydrocarbon materials originating from oil under natural conditions or historical pollution (Beškoski et al 2011;Hinchee and Kitte, 1995;Jensen et al, 2000;Milic et al, 2009).…”

“…n-Alkanes in oil may be present in various quantities, most often as C 10 -C 35 , and among isoprenoids the predominant are C 19 , pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethyl-pentadecane) and C 20 , phytane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylhexadecane). These molecules are used as biomarkers (Beškoski et al, 2010;Jovančićević et al, 2007;Peters et al, 2005) and their analysis is applied in organic geochemistry, environmental chemistry and studies of biodegradation (Figure 1a and 1b). For the purpose of rigorous quantification of biodegradation and after the degradation of pristane and phytane, compounds of polycyclic hydrocarbons of the sterane-type (C 27 -C 29 ) and terpane (tri-, tetra-and pentacyclic; C 19 -C 35 ) may be used as a conserved internal standard (Figure 2a and 2b).…”

“…On the other hand, in environmental chemistry the determination of the presence of oil-type pollutants in the environment may be useful, e.g. for the distinction between native and anthropogenic organic substances (Jovančićević et al 1997;Jovančićević et al, 2007), to follow up oil contamination, to determine the origin of long-term oil contamination and for forensic investigations of the origin of oil spills, to monitor the transformation due to atmospheric conditions (weathering), and to monitor biodegradation processes and the stage of the aging process of oil and its derivates under various conditions (Wang et al 2005). GC and GC-MS methods are very selective and they offer a chance for a better understanding of the procedures of guided or natural biodegradation (Wang & Fingas, 2003).…”

Source identification for oil-based drill cuttings on the seabed based on stable carbon isotopes

“…Dominance of n-alkanes, their distribution and their carbon isotopic signature in EOM from recent sediments has previously been utilized to identify oil-type (anthropogenic) pollution relative to natural EOM in recent sediments because n-alkanes are the dominant hydrocarbons in non-biodegraded oil (Jovancicevic et al 1997, Jovancicevic et al 2007). However, since the EOM in the polluted sediments in this study are all largely affected by oil-type pollution and biodegradation of the hydrocarbons and the purpose of the study is to differentiate between different discharge events, the only remaining tool is the carbon isotopic signatures of the base-oil.…”

Transformation of Petroleum Saturated Hydrocarbons during Soil Bioremediation Experiments

“…Therefore, the importance of such compounds in organic-chemical investigations is significant. On the other hand, in environmental chemistry they can serve for identification of oil type pollutants in the environment, or for distinguishing between native and anthropogenic organic substances (e.g., Jovančićević et al 1997Jovančićević et al , 2007.…”