Assessments of the efficacy of a long-term application of a phytoremediation system using hybrid poplar trees at former oil tank farm sites

• Published in: Water environment research 2009-05, Vol.81 (5), p.486-498
• Main Authors: El-Gendy, Ahmed S, Svingos, Sotero, Brice, Donald, Garretson, Joel H, Schnoor, Jerald
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; benzene; Biodegradation, Environmental; Bioremediation; BTEX; BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene); contaminated sites; Decontamination. Miscellaneous; diesel fuel; diesel range organics; Environmental Monitoring; ethylbenzene and xylene; Exact sciences and technology; gasoline range organics; Groundwater; Groundwater contamination; Groundwaters; Hydrocarbons; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic - metabolism; Methods; Natural water pollution; Petroleum; Petroleum - metabolism; Petroleum products; Phytoremediation; Plant roots; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant Roots - metabolism; polluted soils; Pollution; poplar trees; Populus; Populus - growth & development; Populus - metabolism; Shipments; Soil and sediments pollution; soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Soil pollution; Soil remediation; Soil samples; Soil water; Soils; Time Factors; toluene; Trees; Waste Management - economics; Waste Management - methods; Water - chemistry; Water Supply; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 1061-4303; 1554-7531
• DOI: 10.2175/106143008X357011

A poplar tree-phytoremediation system was installed at former refinery and tank farm sites in Cabin Creek, West Virginia, to cleanup petroleum-contaminated-soils and groundwater. Groundwater and soils in both sites were sampled and analyzed on a regular basis to monitor changes in contaminant concentration since 1999. The concentration of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and gasoline range organics (GRO) decreased an average of 81%, 90%, 67%, 78%, and 82%, respectively, in the lower soil horizons and 34%, 84%, 12%, 19%, and 59%, respectively, in groundwater. In addition, concentrations of oxygen, methane, and carbon dioxide in soil gas demonstrated that tree roots dewatered soils and allowed penetration of oxygen deep into the soil profile, creating necessary conditions for rhizosphere bioremediation. Although required clean-up time can limit phytoremediation, it has proven to be a cost-effective strategy for site improvement if imminent pathways for human exposure and risk are not an issue.