Dynamics of diesel fuel degradation in contaminated soil using organic wastes

Bioremediation is an effective measure in dealing with such contamination, particularly those from petroleum hydrocarbon sources. The effect of soil amendments on diesel fuel degradation in soil was studied. Diesel fuel was introduced into the soil at the concentration of 5 % (w/w) and mixed with three different organic wastes tea leaf, soy cake, and potato skin, for a period of 3 months. Within 84 days, 35 % oil loss was recorded in the unamended polluted soil while 88, 81 and 75 % oil loss were recorded in the soil amended with soy cake, potato skin and tea leaf, respectively. Diesel fuel utilizing bacteria counts were significantly high in all organic wastes amended treatments, ranging from 111 × 106 to 152 × 106 colony forming unit/gram of soil, as compared to the unamended control soil which gave 31 × 106 CFU/g. The diesel fuel utilizing bacteria isolated from the oil-contaminated soil belongs to Bacillus licheniformis, Ochrobactrum tritici and Staphylococcus sp. Oil-polluted soil amended with soy cake recorded the highest oil biodegradation with a net loss of 53 %, as compared to the other treatments. Dehydrogenase enzyme activity, which was assessed by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride technique, correlated significantly with the total petroleum hydrocarbons degradation and accumulation of CO₂. First-order kinetic model revealed that soy cake was the best of the three organic wastes used, with biodegradation rate constant of 0.148 day^?1 and half life of 4.68 days. The results showed there is potential for soy cake, potato skin and tea leaf to enhance biodegradation of diesel in oil-contaminated soil.     

Landfarmed oil sludge as a carbon source for Canavalia ensiformis during phytoremediation

Petroleum exploitation in oilfields, especially drilling, generates an oily sludge mixed with hydrocarbons and mineral solids. This oily sludge is sometimes treated by bioremediation and phytoremediation. This investigation established that landfarmed oil sludge provided adequate soil conditions to grow jack beans (Canavalia ensiformis) that in turn rhizo- and phytoremediated residual aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in the soil. Landfarming oily sludge adequately reduced jack bean phytotoxicity. Rhizo- and phytodegradation reduced total petroleum hydrocarbons by 57.38 % during 4 months of growing jack beans. Aliphatic hydrocarbons were detected in the roots but not in the aerial parts. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were translocated to the roots, stems, leaves, and beans, requiring successive cropping to manage all risks associated with some aromatic hydrocarbons found such as: acenaphthylene, anthracene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, and benzo(a)pyrene. Landfarming and phytoremediation, perhaps with successive crops, holds the promise of providing inexpensive management of extensive oily wastes when sufficient land is available.     

Biosorption of heavy metals by organic carbon from spent mushroom substrates and their raw materials

The use of agricultural wastes as biosorbents is gaining importance in bioremediation of heavy metal-polluted water and soils, due to their effectiveness and low cost. This work assesses the Cd, Pb and Cu adsorption capacity of the raw materials used in the production of substrates for mushroom production (Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus) and the spent mushroom composted (SMC), based on the functional groups of their organic carbon. The raw materials studied included agricultural wastes (wheat straw, wheat and rice poultry litter, grape pomace) and inorganic substances (gypsum and calcareous sand). Organic carbon from wastes and their composting products were characterized by CP-MAS ¹³C NMR. Langmuir adsorption isotherms of metals were plotted for each raw material, composting step, spent A. bisporus and P. ostreatus substrates and the final SMC. The maximum adsorption capacities of SMC were 40.43, 15.16 and 36.2 mg g^?1 for Cd, Pb and Cu, respectively. The composting process modified the adsorption properties of raw materials because of the enhanced adsorption of Cd and Cu and decreased adsorption capacity of Pb. CP-MAS ¹³C NMR and potentiometric titration were used to identify the functional groups of the organic carbon responsible for the metal adsorption. The content of cellulose was correlated with Pb adsorption (p < 0.001), alkyl and carboxyl carbon with Cd adsorption (p < 0.001), and N-alkyl (p < 0.001) and carboxyl (p < 0.010) groups with Cu adsorption. These results are valuable to develop new biosorbents based on agricultural wastes and demonstrate the high potential of SMC to adsorb heavy metals from polluted environments.     

Application of the Haug model for process design of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil bioremediation by composting process

The main scope of this work is applying an aerobic composting model for remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. For this purpose, the reaction kinetics was integrated with the mass and energy balances over the composting system. Literature pilot scale data for bioremediation of diesel oil-contaminated soil was used for model validation. Comparisons of simulation results with experimental data for diesel concentration and oxygen concentration showed good agreement during the remediation process. With validated model for bioremediation of diesel oil-contaminated soil, the influence of amendment type, bulking agent, amendment/soil ratio, bulking agent/soil ratio, moisture content and airflow rate were investigated on diesel biodegradation. The simulation results showed that maximum degradation of diesel occurred in the presence of yard waste as amendment. Furthermore, addition of bulking agent (wood chips) increased the diesel degradation about 6 %. In presence of yard waste as amendment and wood chips as bulking agent, the optimal values for maximum remediation were amendment/soil ratio (2.5 kg kg^?1), bulking agent/soil ratio (2.25 kg kg^?1), initial moisture content (62.5 %) and airflow (0.520 m³ day^?1 kgBVS^?1).     

Anaerobic co-digestion of sanitary wastewater and kitchen solid waste for biogas and fertilizer production under ambient temperature: waste generated from condominium house

Addis Ababa is one of the fastest growing cities where high urbanization has become a challenge. Consequently, housing shortage is a big problem of the city. The municipality has launched a huge Condominium Housing Programme in response to the problem. However, sanitary wastewater and solid waste management are the critical problems to those houses. The wastes were collected and evaluated for its biogas production and fertilizer potential to solve the foreseen waste management problems. The physicochemical characteristics of the collected wastes were determined. A laboratory scale batch anaerobic co-digestion of both wastes with different mix ratio of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 by volume [sanitary wastewater (TS = 7,068 mg/L):kitchen organic solid waste (TS = 56, 084 mg/L)]were carried out at ambient temperature for 30 days. The amount of biogas and methane produced over the digestion period for those mixing ratios were compared. The highest biogas yield obtained from a mix ratio of 25:75 was 65.6 L, and the lowest from a mix ratio of 100:0 was 9.5 L. The percentage of methane gas in the biogas was between 19.8 and 52.8 %. From the study results, it is evidenced that the mixing ratio 25:75 produced the maximum quantity of biogas and methane. With regard to the fertilizer potential of the digested sludge, composting and sun drying process were helpful for land application by inactivating the pathogen.     

Microbial community changes in contaminated soils in response to phenanthrene amendment

Leachate and reclaimed wastewater have become the important sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils. However, the information on bioremediation of leachate and reclaimed wastewater-contaminated soils is still lacking. Identification of changes in microbial structure or of enriched genera related to biodegradation could aid identification of particular organisms or consortia capable of degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in these contaminated soils. In this study, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, coupled with 16S Ribosomal ribonucleic acid clone library analysis, was applied to investigate the composition of bacterial community in leachate-contaminated soil or grassland soil irrigated reclaimed wastewater and the response to phenanthrene amendment. Results showed that phenanthrene amendment had significant but different impacts on microbial community structure, dependent on soil source. Several greatly enriched terminal restriction fragments with phenanthrene biodegradation were identified. Moreover, genus rhizobacteria, possibly linked to phenanthrene biodegradation, was firstly reported in this study. This work might provide some new insights into bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated soils.     

涪陵页岩气水平井油基钻井液技术

针对非常规油气藏开发及复杂地层安全钻井的需要,为解决水平井井壁稳定、摩阻、携岩及地层污染问题,开展了油基钻井液技术研究与应用。通过乳化剂、有机土、降滤失剂、封堵剂等处理剂的研选,形成以柴油、白油为基础油的油基钻井液配方、循环损耗量控制技术及现场施工工艺。在涪陵页岩气田应用了100余口井,满足了现场施工需要,取得良好的技术经济效果。结合涪陵区块的具体情况,不断深入研究,2015年研究并现场试验了粉状乳化剂、无土相油基钻井液等新技术。     

Impact assessment of drilling waste generated in “Eden Field” offshore,Niger Delta,Nigeria

An assessment was carried out on the pollution impact potentials of drilling waste generated from wells X and Y in “Eden Field,” offshore Niger Delta. Eleven samples each were collected from well X (8 treated and 3 untreated cuttings) and well Y (6 treated cuttings and 5 spent muds). The samples were subjected to three separate analyses, namely, oil-on-cutting analysis using Dean and Stark reflux method, heavy metal analysis using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Unicam 929), and toxicity test analysis using bioassay procedure on test organisms such as Desmoscaris trispinosa and Palaemonetes africanus all in attempt to detect their pollution potential. The results showed that the oil-on-cutting analysis for the well X samples was between 15.8 and 17.5 % for unwashed cuttings and between 4.6 and 5.1 % for washed cuttings, while that for well Y samples was between 3.49 and 4.27 % for washed cuttings and 1.69 to 2.59 % for the drill mud samples. The heavy metal analysis on the wells X and Y samples showed absence of mercury, cadmium concentration ranged from 0.52 to 0.99 mg/kg for well X and from 0.69 to 0.78 mg/kg for well Y samples. The result of the toxicity test of samples from well X on D. trispinosa showed that 96-h LC₅₀ occurred at 9800 to 10,900 mg/l for the washed drill cutting and 6200 to 6700 mg/l for the unwashed drill cuttings. On the other hand, the toxicity test on P. africanus indicated more resistant to the toxicity of the drill cuttings as 96-h LC₅₀ was achieved at higher concentrations. At 96-h exposure, the concentration that killed 50 % of the test organism (LC₅₀) occurred at 14,000 to 16,900 mg/l for the washed cuttings and 10,300 to 11,350 mg/l for the unwashed cuttings. Similarly, the 96-h LC₅₀ was achieved on washed drill cuttings from well Y at concentrations of 9800 to 10,400 mg/l using D. tripinosa and 11,600 to 17,200 mg/l using P. africanus. The study has shown that oil-on-cutting content, heavy metal concentrations, and toxicity level did not indicate any major risk to the environment as the treatment and cleaning of the drilling wastes on the rig helped in reducing the concentration of all the contaminants in compliance with the regulatory limits.     

Biodegradation of petroleum by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Klebsiella pneumoniae</Emphasis> isolated from drilling fluid

The removal of petroleum and petroleum-based products from the environment is of great importance. The objectives of this study were to investigate the most suitable physiological conditions and the effects of additional carbon, nitrogen and surfactant sources on petroleum biodegradation by Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC13883 isolated from drilling fluid and to evaluate petroleum biodegradation with detailed hydrocarbon analysis by GC–MS. The results indicated that the highest biodegradation rate of 66.5% for K. pneumoniae was obtained under the conditions of pH 7, petroleum concentration 1% (v/v) and 7-day incubation at 150 rpm and 25 °C, proving to be the most effective physical conditions for petroleum biodegradation in this present study. Additional sources such as Triton X: 100, glucose and yeast extract significantly enhanced the petroleum biodegradation of K. pneumoniae to 68, 71 and 72.5%, respectively. In the last stage of this study, biodegradation rates were above 90% for hydrocarbons ranging from C₁₀ and C₂₀, above 70% for hydrocarbons ranging from C₂₁ and C₂₂ and above 40% for hydrocarbons ranging from C₃₁ and C₃₂. In conclusion, oil field adapted K. pneumoniae could efficiently degrade short-, medium- and long-chain alkanes in petroleum and thus is a potential source for advanced petroleum treatment.     

Off-line solid-phase extraction procedure for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aqueous matrices

An off-line solid-phase extraction procedure followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection for the determination of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants in aqueous matrices was described. Diverse aspects determining extraction efficiency such as packing type (disk or cartridge), elution solvents and addition of organic modifiers to the sample were evaluated. Elution with acetonitrile yields the highest recoveries. Rinsing the sample bottle with acetonitrile and combining the rinse with the sample extract avoids the adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the walls of the water containers. The use of isopropanol or methanol 10 % (V/V) was the most appropriate amount for the enrichment of 2- to 6-ring aromatic compounds only on C18 cartridge. The recoveries for all studied polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are ranged from 71.4 to 95.2 % for a treated water samples of 500 mL. The proposed method gives very low detection limits (subnanograms per liter) and it has been applied to drinking water, surface water and industrial effluent (oil refinery) samples with good results.     

Critical Investigation of Wear Behaviour of WC Drill Bit Buttons

Mining and petroleum drill bits are subjected to highly abrasive rock and high-velocity fluids that cause severe wear and erosion in service. To augment the rate of penetration and minimize the cost per foot, such drill bits are subjected to increasing rotary speeds and weight. A rotary/percussive drill typically hits the rock 50 times per second with hydraulic impact pressure of about 170–200 bar and feed pressure of about 90–100 bar, while rotating at 75–200 rpm. The drill rig delivers a high-velocity flow of drilling fluid onto the rock surface to dislodge cuttings and cool the bit. The impingement of high-velocity drilling fluid with entrained cuttings accelerates the erosion rate of the bit. Also, high service temperature contributes to softening of the rock for increased penetration. Hence, there is a need to optimize the drilling process and balance the wear rate and penetration rate simultaneously. This paper presents an experimental scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study of electroplated (nickel-bonded) diamond drills for different wear modes.     

Biodegradation of phthalic acid esters in sewage sludge by composting with pig manure and rice straw

To comparatively study the biodegradation of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in sewage sludge by composting with pig manure or with rice straw, four composting modes were designed: Mode 1 (sewage sludge + pig manure + intermittent aeration), Mode 2 (sewage sludge + pig manure + continuous aeration), Mode 3 (sewage sludge + rice straw + intermittent aeration) and Mode 4 (sewage sludge + rice straw + continuous aeration). Physicochemical parameters of composts were measured according to standard methods and PAEs were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The biodegradation of each PAE was also discussed. The results showed that Mode 1 was the best mode to biodegrade PAEs, which might be related to the wide class of indigenous microbial communities in pig manure and high efficiency of intermittent ventilation for providing oxygen. During the biodegradation process, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was the most abundant and decisive for the removal of total PAEs. It showed a first-order kinetic degradation model. In conclusion, composting with pig manure could be suggested as an effective detoxification process for the removal of PAEs from sewage sludge, providing a safe end product.     

Richness of drilling sludge taken from an oil field quagmire: potentiality and environmental interest

The drilling sludge represents a complex environment, containing several types of pollutants that can be even used as nutrients by indigenous microorganisms, like hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, having good potentialities for the biodegradation of petroleum products. In this study, a drilling sludge was collected from drilling quagmire. Physicochemical characterization of the drilling sludge was done. Its mineralogy was obtained by diffractometry. The indigenous aerobic sludge hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria were checked by counting on Bushnell–Haas medium, and their isolation and purification were performed by the selective microbial enrichment technique in a batch-enriched Bushnell–Haas culture, with crude oil as the sole carbon source. Isolates were characterized, and their power to emulsify crude oil was determined by emulsification index and oil spreading tests. Environmental conditions in the quagmire, like temperature, pH and moisture, were suitable for bacterial development. Physicochemical characteristics of the drilling sludge showed richness in chemical elements and promote microbial life. Fifteen different colonies of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria were isolated and purified; they have diversified morphological and microscopic aspects. Most isolates had a good emulsification index (between 31 and 76 %). Oil spreading test gave clear zone diameters >28 mm, with a maximum of 60 mm. The results of these investigations prove the elementary, mineralogy and microbiology richness of drilling sludge and reveal the high diversity of its indigenous hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial flora. These properties can be exploited for the own restoration of petroleum quagmires in oil fields, by means of bioremediation applications and by integrating indigenous microorganisms.     

Bioremediation of crude oil by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus licheniformis</Emphasis> in the presence of different concentration nanoparticles and produced biosurfactant

This research work focuses on testing the bacterial strain Bacillus licheniformis for the bioremediation capacity of the crude oil. A biosurfactant and two different nanoparticles with different concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 g/100 ml) were applied separately to enhance the biodegradation process. The optimum biodegradation of crude oil was demonstrated at 60% of microcosms containing biosurfactant and nanoparticles after 7 days. The bacterial strain is highly potential to consume the total paraffins (iso- and n-paraffins) in crude oil samples. Accordingly, the best biodegradation of total paraffins was observed in microcosms containing (0.2 g) of Fe₂O₃, Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂ (nps) and biosurfactant separately. Additionally, the consumption of specific member rings of polyaromatics depends on the type and the concentration of nanoparticles. Thus, this bacterial strain was considered as a good candidate to be applied in the bioremediation process of petroleum-contaminated sites using biosurfactant and specific concentration of (Fe₂O₃ and Zn₅OH₈Cl₂) nanoparticles.     

Initial air pressure influence on in-vessel composting for the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste in Morocco

This study aimed to determine the initial air pressure influence on the in-vessel composting for the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste in Morocco. For this purpose, representative composting mixture was prepared in which C/N ratio was 26 and moisture content was 70 %. The in-vessel bioreactor was designed and used specially to evaluate the initial air pressure effect on composting process in this study. Thus, daily changes of internal air pressure and temperature were monitored, and physicochemical properties of different composts obtained were also analyzed and compared. Experimental results showed a significant increase in internal pressure corresponding to the initial air pressure of 0.6 bar and a slight increase for the other initial air pressures. The initial air pressure which equal to 0.6 bar allowed maximum value of temperature and final composting product with good physicochemical properties as well as higher organic matter degradation and higher gas production. Composts obtained from experiments under 0.4 and 0.8 bar showed good maturity levels and may also be used for agricultural applications.     

Evaluation of the diagnostic ratios for the identification of spilled oils after biodegradation

Biodegradation, one of the most important weathering processes, alters the composition of spilled oil, making it difficult to identify the source of the release and to monitor its fate in the environment. A laboratory experiment was conducted to simulate oil spill weathering process of microbial degradation to investigate compositional changes in a range of source- and weathering-dependent molecular parameters in oil residues, and the conventional diagnostic ratios for oil spill identification were also evaluated. The conventional diagnostic ratios of n-alkane displayed obvious changes after biodegradation, especially for Pr/n-C₁₇ and Ph/n-C₁₈ with relative standard deviation more than 118.84 %, which suggests they are invalid for oil source identification of the middle-serious spill. Many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are more resistant to biodegradation process than their saturated hydrocarbon counterparts, thus making PAHs to be one of the most valuable fingerprinting classes of hydrocarbons for oil identification. Biomarker ratios of hopanes and steranes were also useful for source identification even after moderate biodegradation, and the diagnostic ratios from them could be used in tracking origin and sources of hydrocarbon pollution. Finally, the carbon isotopic type curve may provide another diagnostic means for correlation and differentiation of spilled oils, and be particularly valuable for lighter refined products or severely biodegraded oils, the source of which may be difficult to identify by routine biomarker techniques.     

Suppressive biomasses and antagonist bacteria for an eco-compatible control of Verticillium dahliae on nursery-grown olive plants

Two organic amendments (OMW-M1 and OMW-M2), based on olive mill wastes (OMWs) subjected to advanced processes of aerobic static storage or composting, were tested for their suppressive activity against Verticillium dahliae, the causal agent of olive Verticillium wilt. OMW-M1 and OMW-M2 drastically inhibited the pathogen growth in vitro and then were further tested in suppressive pot experiments. The amendments, mixed at 15 % (v/v) with a nursery standard plant-growth matrix, were tested alone or in combination with two biocontrol bacteria (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Burkholderia cepacia) selected from suppressive soils. All mixtures were artificially contaminated with V. dahliae microsclerotia (MS), the density of which was periodically monitored by either a semi-selective medium or a specific real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction technique. In plant-less pot assays conducted in a growth chamber, OMW-M1 was the most effective amendment, reducing V. dahliae MS density by 100 % after 90 days with respect to the untreated control. In nursery experiments with pot-growing olive plants, OMW-M1, particularly when combined with the biocontrol bacteria, confirmed its strong suppressive activity reducing up to 100 % the density of V. dahliae MS in the rhizosphere behaving even better than a commercial biofungicide (Trichoderma asperellum TV1) used as a control. The best combined treatment also reduced plant mortality and increased root and shoot extension. It is concluded that organic amendments from stabilized olive mill by-products showed positive agronomic and phytosanitary properties on pot-growing olive plants and, particularly when enriched with biocontrol agents, they are potentially suitable for use in sustainable agriculture.     

Molecular characterization of phenanthrene-degrading methanogenic communities in leachate-contaminated aquifer sediment

The existence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the various environments has aroused great environmental concerns due to their potential hazards to human health. The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aquifer is particularly sensitive where groundwater is used as a source of potable water. Anaerobic biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is an attractive option for remediation of contaminated aquifer sediment. Bacterial and archaeal community structures of phenanthrene-degrading aquifer sediment under methanogenic condition were investigated using clone library analysis in combination with microcosm study. The bacterial members were all affiliated with ??-Proteobacteria. Phylum Euryarchaeota was the predominant archaeal group, represented by genera Methanosarcina, Methanobacterium and Thermogymnomonas. Both bacteria (genera Citrobacter and Pseudomonas) and archaea (genus Methanosarcina) might have links to phenanthrene degradation process. This work might provide some new insights into developing strategies for the isolation of the putative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degraders under methanogenic condition and bioremediating polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in leachate-contaminated aquifer sediment.     

污染土壤石油生物降解与调控效应研究

为考察修复过程中土壤石油降解效应,选用中国北方某油田区现场的原油污染土壤,进行了投加除油菌、调节氮磷营养含量和水分含量等强化措施的修复试验。经过180d修复,结果表明,土壤石油污染物去除率达70·6%,去除速率达0·15g·kg-1·d-1,与自然条件相比,石油污染物半衰期由929d减少为103d。饱和烃去除率占总石油去除的75%以上,主要为十八烷、二十七烷、二十九烷、三十一烷与三十四烷。初期投菌对石油污染土壤的生物修复具有快速启动作用,但后期多次投菌对生物修复的促进作用不明显。对氮磷营养水平的适当调节有利于生物修复进行,本试验中对除油菌生长和石油去除最有利的有效态碳氮比为C∶N=100∶1~50∶1。在石油去除过程中,土壤石油去除速率的变化与除油菌数量变化趋势基本一致,表明微生态环境调控对于污染土壤中的石油降解具有显著的促进作用。     

Activated sludge acclimation for toluene and DEHP degradation in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor

The effect of activated sludge acclimation on the biodegradation of toluene in the presence of a biodegradable non-aqueous phase liquid, di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor was characterized. The influence of the presence of DEHP, at a ratio of 0.1 % (volume ratio), and of the acclimation of activated sludge (AS) on the biodegradation of hydrophobic VOC was studied. AS was acclimated to both toluene and DEHP simultaneously. Using acclimated cells, 73 and 96 % improvement of the mean biodegradation rates was recorded for toluene and the organic solvent (DEHP), respectively, if compared to the values recorded in the absence of acclimation, during tests performed in Erlenmeyer flasks. Degradation rates were further improved by the use of acclimated AS in a reactor with a large head space; degradation yields for toluene and DEHP were above 99 and 89 %, respectively.