Remediation of Crude Oil Contaminated Soil by Enhanced Natural Attenuation Technique

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Date
2015
Authors
Ebuehi, O.A.T.
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J. Appl. Sci. Environ.
Abstract
The concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, total hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria (THUB), total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) and total petroleum hydrocarbon were determined using the remediation by enhanced natural attenuation (RENA) in a crude oil contaminated farmland in Rivers state, Nigeria. A TPH concentration of 1.1004 x10 4 mg/kg of the sandy soil was achieved after spiking and tilling. There was a reduction in the TPH level from 300mg/kg after 8weeks, to 282mg/kg after 10weeks.No significant reduction in the TPH level was observed after the 10th week. The nitrogen and phosphorus levels of the sandy soil were 24.6 and 22.8mg/kg respectively. This suggests that the nitrogen and phosphorus levels could no longer support biodegradation at the residual TPH levels of 282mg/kg and 22.8mg/kg after spiking and tilling respectively, which further reduced to 0.12mg/kg and 1.7mg/kg respectively after 10 weeks. The total hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria (THUB) increased from 3.0 x 10 4 cfu/g to 8.55x10 4 cfu/g and finally reduced to 5.38 x10 4 cfu/g, while the total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) reduced from 1.22 x10 8 cfu/g to 5.98 x 10 5 cfu/g. Data of the study indicate that remediation enhanced natural attenuation technique could be employed to remediate a farm settlement contaminated by crude oil.
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EBUEHI, O A T; 1 ABIBO, I B; SHEKWOLO, P D; SIGISMUND, K I; 1 ADOKI, A; OKORO, I C