Extraction of Petroleum Hydrocarbons from Soil by Mechanical Shaking

Abstract

A shaking extraction method for petroleum hydrocarbons in soil was developed and compared to Soxhlet extraction. Soxhlet extraction is an EPA-approved method for volatile and semivolatile organic contaminants from solid materials, but it has many disadvantages including long extraction periods and potential loss of volatile compounds. When field-moist soils are used, variability in subsamples is higher, and the extraction of hydrocarbons with a nonpolar solvent may be less efficient. A shaking method was designed to fill the need for simpler and more efficient extraction of petroleum hydrocarbons from soil. A systematic study of extraction conditions was performed for various soil types, soil weights, solvents, extraction times, and extraction cycles. The results were compared to those for Soxhlet extraction. Shaking 1 g of soil with a sequence of three 10-mL aliquots of dichloromethane or acetone was found to be equivalent to Soxhlet extraction for total petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Shaking with acetone was more consistent than all other methods for the extraction of specific compounds from aged, contaminated soil. The shaking method appears to be applicable to a wide range of soil types and petroleum contaminants but should be compared to Soxhlet extraction for new conditions.

Effect of alcohol addition on the movement of petroleum hydrocarbon fuels in soil

“…A cold shaking extraction method was developed from the mechanical shaking method of Schwab et al (1999). Fresh soil (40 g; sieved <2 mm) was extracted for 30 min in 100 ml 1:1 acetone:dichloromethane in an orbital incubator (15°C, 200 rev min -1 ).…”

Effect of microorganisms in the bioremediation of spent engine oil and petroleum related environmental pollution

“…Compounds including porphyrins and their derivatives that contain no hydrocarbon may equally be found in crude oil (Callot and Ocampo, 2000). Chicarelli et al (1990) (Schwab et al, 1999). Many authors (Okerentugba and Ezeronye, 2003;Adelowo et al, 2006) have reported that the presence of these pollutants in the terrestrial and aquatic environments constitutes public health and socio-economic hazards.…”

Bioremediation for hazardous liquid industrial waste at evaporation pit, Wafra south of Kuwait.

“…TPH was measured in soil by placing the 5 g subsample into a glass flask and adding 0.5 g anhydrous sodium sulphate, 0.5 g silica gel and 25 ml dichloromethane. The flasks were shaken for 30 min at 100 rpm (Schawab et al, 1999). After shaking, the soil-solution extract was filtered through Whatman filter paper, dichloromethane was evaporated and the filtrate was dissolved in carbon tetrachloride (CClч) and analyzed for TPH in infrared light (USEPA method 418.1, 1978) with a Perkin Elmer 16F PC FT-IR (USA).…”