Transformation of a petroleum pollutant during soil bioremediation experiments

• Published in: Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society 2008-01, Vol.73 (5), p.577-583
• Main Authors: Jovancicevic, B., Antic, M., Vrvic, M., Ilic, M., Novakovic, M., Saheed, R.M., Schwarzbauer, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alkanes; bioremediation; fatty acids; oil type pollutant; Pančevo Oil Refinery; soil
• ISSN: 0352-5139; 1820-7421
• DOI: 10.2298/JSC0805577J

The experiment of ex situ soil bioremediation was performed at the locality of the Oil Refinery in Pancevo (alluvial formation of the Danube River, Serbia) polluted with an oil type pollutant. The experiments of biostimulation, bioventilation and reinoculation of an autochthonous microbial consortium were performed during the six-month period (May-November 2006). The changes in the quantity and composition of the pollutant, or the bioremediation effect, were monitored by analysis of the samples of the polluted soil taken in time spans of two weeks. In this way, from the beginning until the end of the experiment, 12 samples were collected and marked as P1-P12 (Pancevo 1-Pancevo 12). The results obtained showed that more significant changes in the composition of the oil pollutant occurred only during the last phases of the experiment (P8-P12). The activity of microorganisms was reflected in the increase of the quantity of polar oil fractions, mainly fatty acid fractions. In this way, the quantity of total eluate increased, and the quantity of the insoluble residue was reduced to a minimum, whereby the oil pollutant was transformed to a form that could be removed more efficiently and more completely from the soil, as a segment of the environment. Izvodjeni su eksperimenti ex situ bioremedijacije zemljista na lokalitetu Rafinerije nafte Pancevo (aluvijalna formacija reke Dunav). Eksperimenti su izvodjeni u toku perioda od sest meseci (maj-novembar 2006. godine). Promene u kolicini i sastavu naftnog zagadjivaca (bioremediacioni efekat), pracene su analizom uzoraka koji su uzimani u vremenskim razmacima od dve nedelje. Na taj nacin, u toku sest meseci sakupljeno je 12 uzoraka oznacenih sa P1-P12 (Pancevo 1-Pancevo 12). Dobijeni rezultati pokazali su znacajne promene u sastavu naftnog zagadjivaca samo u poslednjoj fazi eksperimenta (P8-P12). Aktivnost mikroorganizama ogledala se u povecanju kolicine polarnih naftnih komponenata, na prvom mestu frakcije masnih kiselina. Na taj nacin, u ovoj fazi eksperimenta, povecana je kolicina ukupnog eluata, a kolicina nerastvornog ostatka svedena je na minimalnu vrednost, cime je naftni zagadjivac doveden u oblik koji se efikasnije moze ukloniti iz zemljista, kao segmenta zivotne sredine.