Changes in Heavy Metal Contents of a Waste Engine Oil Polluted Soil Exposed to Soil pH Adjustments.

The present study investigated the role of soil pH adjustments in heavy metals concentrations in waste engine oil (WEO) - polluted soils. Sun-dried top soil (0-10cm) was measured into buckets. WEO was added to soil and mixed thoroughly to obtain similar concentrations of 2.5% w/w oil in soil. The polluted soil was thereafter amended with NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer to enhance microbial activity. The buckets were transferred into a well ventilated screen house with inherent constant room temperature (27ºC). The entire setup was divided into 5 sets. Each set was wetted daily with 200ml of different pH solutions (pH 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11) for a period of 3 months. There were significant reductions in heavy metal concentrations particularly at pH of 5. There were significant reductions in total hydrocarbons contents (THC) of polluted soils at 2 months after pollution from 1882.32 mg/kg at pH 3 to 325 mg/kg at pH 5, compared to THC of soil at 1 week after pollution at pH 7 (3425.63mg/kg).

Changes in Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon Content of a Waste Engine Oil Polluted Soil Exposed to pH Adjustments.

The present study investigated the role of pH adjustments in the remediation of polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contents of waste engine oil-polluted soil. Sun-dried top soil (0-10cm) was measured into buckets. Waste engine oil (WEO) was added to soil and mixed thoroughly to obtain similar concentrations of 2.5% w/w oil in soil. The polluted soil was thereafter amended with NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer to enhance microbial activity. The buckets were transferred into a well ventilated screen house with inherent constant room temperature. The entire setup was divided into 5 sets. Each set was irrigated daily with 200ml of different pH solutions (pH 3, 5, 7, and 11) for a period of 3 months. There were reductions in total PAH concentrations. Total polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) of soil was lowest when soil was modified with solutions of pH 5 (78.1 mg/kg) followed by that at pH 9 (90.6 mg/kg), pH 3 (213.5 mg/kg) and pH 11(315.1 mg/kg). Obviously, successful remediation of PAH is pH dependent. Fluorene was totally remediated at pH value from acidity to neutrality; whereas at alkalinity, fluorene content was 0.237 mg/kg and 0.139 mg/kg at pH 7 and 11 respectively.

Aplicação de métodos geofísicos no monitoramento de área contaminada sob atenuação natural / Applications of geophysical methods in monitoring contaminated area under natural attenuation

Estudos geofísicos em áreas impactadas por derivados de petróleo descrevem anomalias tanto de baixa quanto de elevada resistividade, confirmada como fase contaminante por meio de análises químicas. Esta aparente contradição pode refletir processos de degradação, associada ao tempo de residência de contaminantes no meio, por meio da geração de subprodutos que alteram as propriedades físicas do meio, principalmente pela dissolução mineral por ação de ácidos orgânicos e pela neoformação de minerais de óxidos e hidróxidos de ferro. Este trabalho apresenta resultados da aplicação do método de eletrorresistividade e polarização induzida em uma área industrial contaminada por benzeno, tolueno, xileno, 1,2 dicloroetano e sais inorgânicos, em processo de atenuação natural. Os resultados indicam a neoformação mineral no centro e nas adjacências da área contaminada, conforme sugerem as alterações apontadas nos parâmetros físicos medidos.

Geophysical studies in impacted areas by petroleum products may be described by anomalies of both low and high resistivity, confirmed as contaminant by chemical analyses. This apparent contradiction can reflect processes of contaminants degradation, directly associated with its residence time in the soil, through the generation of by-products that change the physical properties of the soil and groundwater, principally for the mineral dissolution by action of organic acids and by neoformation minerals of oxides and hydroxides minerals. This paper presents the application of electrical resistivity and induced polarization methods in a contaminated industrial area for benzene, toluene, xylene, 1,2 dichloroethene and inorganic salts, in natural attenuation process. The results indicated the mineral neoformation in the center and adjacencies of contaminated area, as it suggested the alterations in physical parameters measured.

Application of a bacterial extracellular polymeric substance in heavy metal adsorption in a co-contaminated aqueous system / Aplicação de uma substância polimerica extracelular bacteriana na absorção de metais pesados em um sistema aquoso co-contaminado

The application of a bacterial extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) in the bioremediation of heavy metals (Cd, Zn and Cu) by a microbial consortium in a hydrocarbon co-contaminated aqueous system was studied. At the low concentrations used in this work (1.00 ppm of each metal), it was not observed an inhibitory effect on the cellular growing. In the other hand, the application of the EPS lead to a lower concentration of the free heavy metals in solution, once a great part of them is adsorbed in the polymeric matrix (87.12 percent of Cd; 19.82 percent of Zn; and 37.64 percent of Cu), when compared to what is adsorbed or internalized by biomass (5.35 percent of Cd; 47.35 percent of Zn; and 24.93 percent of Cu). It was noted an increase of 24 percent in the consumption of ethylbenzene, among the gasoline components that were quantified, in the small interval of time evaluated (30 hours). Our results suggest that, if the experiments were conducted in a larger interval of time, it would possibly be noted a higher effect in the degradation of gasoline compounds. Still, considering the low concentrations that were evaluated, it is possible that a real system could be bioremediated by natural attenuation process, demonstrated by the low effect of those levels of contaminants and co-contaminants over the naturally present microbial consortium.

A aplicação de uma substância polimérica extracelular (EPS) bacteriana na biorremediação de metais pesados (Cd, Zn e Cu) por um consórcio microbiano em um sistema aquoso co-contaminado com hidrocarbonetos foi estudada. Nas baixas concentrações usadas neste trabalho (1,00 ppm de cada metal), não foi observado um efeito inibitório no crescimento celular. Por outro lado, a aplicação da EPS bacteriana levou a uma menor concentração de metais livres em solução, uma vez que grande parte destes fica adsorvido na matriz polimérica (87,12 por cento de Cd; 19,82 por cento de Zn; e 37,64 por cento de Cu) quando comparado ao que é adsorvido ou interiorizado pela biomassa (5,35 por cento de Cd; 47,35 por cento de Zn; e 24,93 por cento de Cu). No pequeno intervalo de tempo avaliado (30 horas) e na baixa concentração de gasolina utilizada (0,1 por cento (v/v)), foi percebido um aumento de 24 por cento no consumo de etilbenzeno, entre os componentes da gasolina que foram quantificados. Nossos resultados sugerem que, se os experimentos fossem conduzidos em um intervalo de tempo maior, possivelmente poderia ter sido observado um maior efeito na degradação dos componentes da gasolina. Ainda, considerando as baixas concentrações avaliadas, é provável que um sistema real pudesse ser biorremediado pelo processo de atenuação natural, tendo em vista o baixo efeito desses níveis de contaminantes e co-contaminantes sobre o consórcio microbiano naturalmente presente.

Importância do etanol na atenuação natural de águas subterrâneas impactadas por gasolina / Importance of ethanol on natural attenuation of groundwater impacted by gasohol

Nesse estudo, foram avaliados os resultados de um experimento de derramamento controlado de gasolina brasileira em água subterrânea durante 6,5 anos de monitoramento. A exaustão do etanol, aos 32 meses de monitoramento, e a significativa redução de mais de 90 por cento da massa máxima dos compostos BTEX dissolvidos no meio, aos 79 meses, associadas ao uso dos receptores de elétrons e acúmulo de seus subprodutos metabólicos, demonstraram a eficácia da atenuação natural monitorada para contaminações de águas subterrâneas sem riscos imediatos a receptores críticos. Constatou-se ainda que a biodegradação do etanol permitiu a formação de uma biobarreira natural que, após a sua completa degradação, acelerou a taxa de biodegradação dos BTEX e impediu o avanço da pluma destes contaminantes.

In this study, results of 6.5 years of a controlled release experiment with Brazilian gasoline in groundwater were evaluated. Ethanol exhaustion after 32 months and the significant dissolved BTEX mass reduction of more than 90 percent after 79 months, associated with the electron acceptors use and their metabolic byproducts accumulation, demonstrated the efficiency of monitored natural attenuation for groundwater contamination without immediate risk to receptors. Moreover, ethanol degradation provided a natural biobarrier formation that increased BTEX biodegradation rate and prevented the BTEX plume expansion.

Bioremediation of soil contaminated by diesel oil

Were evaluated natural attenuation, biostimulation and bioaugmentation on the degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in soils contaminated with diesel oil. Bioaugmentation showed the greatest degradation in the light (C12 - C23) fractions (72.7%) and heavy (C23 - C40) fractions of TPH (75.2%) and natural attenuation was more effective than biostimulation. The greatest dehydrogenase activity was observed upon bioaugmentation of the Long Beach soil (3.3-fold) and the natural attenuation of the Hong Kong soil sample (4.0-fold). The number of diesel oil degrading microorganisms and heterotrophic population was not influenced by the bioremediation treatments. The best approach for bioremediation of soil contaminated with diesel oil is the inoculum of microorganisms pre-selected from their own environment.

Avaliou-se a degradação de hidrocarbonetos de petróleo (HP) em solos contaminados com óleo diesel através da atenuação natural, bioestimulação e bioaumentação. A bioaumentação apresentou a maior degradação da fração leve (72,6%) e da fração pesada (75,2%) de HP e a atenuação natural foi mais efetiva do que a bioestimulação. A maior atividade da dehidrogenase no solo Long Beach e Hong Kong foi observada nos tratamentos bioaumentação e atenuação natural, respectivamente. O número de microrganismos degradadores de diesel e a população de heterotróficos não foi influenciada pelas técnicas de biorremediação. A melhor performance para a biorremediação do solo contaminado com diesel foi obtida quando foram adicionados microrganismos pré-selecionados do ambiente contaminado.

Bioremediation of soil contaminated by diesel oil

Were evaluated natural attenuation, biostimulation and bioaugmentation on the degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in soils contaminated with diesel oil. Bioaugmentation showed the greatest degradation in the light (C12 - C23) fractions (72.7%) and heavy (C23 - C40) fractions of TPH (75.2%) and natural attenuation was more effective than biostimulation. The greatest dehydrogenase activity was observed upon bioaugmentation of the Long Beach soil (3.3-fold) and the natural attenuation of the Hong Kong soil sample (4.0-fold). The number of diesel oil degrading microorganisms and heterotrophic population was not influenced by the bioremediation treatments. The best approach for bioremediation of soil contaminated with diesel oil is the inoculum of microorganisms pre-selected from their own environment.

Avaliou-se a degradação de hidrocarbonetos de petróleo (HP) em solos contaminados com óleo diesel através da atenuação natural, bioestimulação e bioaumentação. A bioaumentação apresentou a maior degradação da fração leve (72,6%) e da fração pesada (75,2%) de HP e a atenuação natural foi mais efetiva do que a bioestimulação. A maior atividade da dehidrogenase no solo Long Beach e Hong Kong foi observada nos tratamentos bioaumentação e atenuação natural, respectivamente. O número de microrganismos degradadores de diesel e a população de heterotróficos não foi influenciada pelas técnicas de biorremediação. A melhor performance para a biorremediação do solo contaminado com diesel foi obtida quando foram adicionados microrganismos pré-selecionados do ambiente contaminado.