Degradation of Soil Applied Organic Compounds From Three Petroleum Wastes

Abstract

The degradation rates of three industrial wastes were evaluated under simulated land treatment conditions. A wood-preserving bottom sediment, storm-water runoff impoundment sludge, and combined API-separator/slop-oil emulsion solid waste were applied to greenhouse boxes containing Norwood silt loam or Bastrop clay soils. Soil samples were collected before waste application and 0, 180, 360 and 540 days following application. Solvent extractable organic compounds were determined gravimetrically, and a GC/MS/DS system was used to identify major extractable organic constituents. The most rapid degradation rate over a 360 day period was observed in the Bastrop soil amended with the combined API separator/slop-oil emulsion solid waste. The half-lives of the total extractable hydrocarbons ranged from a low of 217 days for the combined API waste in the Bastrop soil to a high of 340 days for the storm-water runoff waste in the Norwood soil. Major residual organic constituents in the waste amended soil after 60 days incubation included pentachlorophenol, fluoranthene, pyrene, dihydro acenaphthylene, cyclopenta phenanthrene and trimethyl naphthalene. These results indicate that large quantities of oil hydrocarbons can be degraded by soil application, and significant differences in degradation rates will occur between different wastes and soils.

Adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by soil particles: influence on biodegradability and biotoxicity

“…Given the requisite environmental conditions, microbial communities are able to readily degrade these chemicals (Morgan and Watkinson 1989;Mueller et al 1989). Consequently, application of microorganisms for the remediation of contaminated soils has gained considerable interest in recent years (Bewley et al 1989;Brown et al 1985).…”

Mutagenic Activity (Ames Test) of Wood-Preserving Waste Sludge Applied to Soil

“…In both laboratory (McGinnis et al 1988;Aprill et al 1990) and field soil treatability studies (Brown et al 1985a), the majority of hazardous constituents present in creosote/pentachlorophenol (PCP) bottom sediment sludges have been rendered less toxic after undergoing degradation or transformation. However, the present investigators, utilizing the Ames test to monitor potential detoxification of creosote/PCP sludge constituents during field land treatment studies, observed a persistent mutagenic residue remaining in surface soil a year or more after the sludge was applied (Donnelly et al 1987; Barbee et al 1992).…”