The Effect Of Heat On The Transport And Removal Of Contaminants From Soil

Bioremediators need to be able to grow in order to remediate the soil of pollutants. The purpose of this research is to determine whether the presence of Stropharia rugoso-annulata in the soil will support and accelerate the growth of ryegrass in a mutualistic symbiotic relationship. If the growth of the ryegrass is accelerated and supported, the combination of the two bioremediators could potentially accelerate the degradation of PAHs in the soil. Techniques such as soil washing, soil flushing, vitrification, etc., exist to remediate contaminated soil. Although, these techniques are effective, they also disturb the natural environment to some degree. Bioremediation is often accomplished in situ resulting in minimal environmental disturbance. This study is being performed because healthy soil is a limited resource that needs to be preserved and replenished. The state of soil can impact the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems, therefore, it’s important to be able to monitor and control the pollutants in

Another common remediation technique is stabilization or solidification which aims to alter the contaminants into a less soluble or mobile form (Wuana and Okieimen, 2011; Mulligan, Yong, and Gibbs, 2001; United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1991). In both methods water and a site-specific chemical solution is mixed into the soil to either alter its physical - make it less soluble - or chemical - reduce mobility - properties to make it less likely that the contaminants will move into other locations or be inhaled (Wuana and Okieimen, 2011; Mulligan, Yong, and Gibbs, 2001). Chemical treatment can also fall under the umbrella term of stabilization. Chemical treatment is add chemical solutions to the soil to detoxify the soil and can be used as a pre-treatment for other techniques such as solidification (Wuana and Okieimen, 2011; Mulligan, Yong, and Gibbs, 2001). These techniques are typically preferred due to lower costs but other physical elements of the soil, such as boulders, can make mixing the soil difficult and the process can volatilize and release volatile compounds (Mulligan, Yong, and Gibbs, 2001; United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1991). Mobility of contaminants can also be reduced by using the technique of vitrification through the process of heating up the soil (Wuana and Okieimen, 2011; United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1991). This method results

During the Deepwater Horizon event, 18 Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) teams consisting of Federal, State, Local and BP Plc. Representatives conducted field surveys to determine the location, scale and character of oiled shoreline (Michel et al., 2013). This data was essential to creating site-specific Shoreline Treatment Recommendations (STRs) which were based on criterion involving oil properties, season, habitat type and use. SCAT surveys were carried out by teams documenting oil character, thickness, percent distribution, width and length of the oiled band(s), tidal zone where the oil band(s) were observed, the average and maximum size of oil deposits, and recommended cleanup tactics (Michel et al., 2013). As opposed to

The Exxon Valdez oil spill was the largest oil spill in U.S history. It was a catastrophic disaster that the U.S swore to learn from. Twenty two years later as the prevention procedures became complacent, the Deepwater Horizon explosion made us re-examine our procedures as a nation. The Deepwater Horizon explosion is now the second worst oil spill in the world following the Gulf War Oil Spill in Kuwait in 1991. The U.S used similar techniques to clean the water as the Exxon Valdez clean up, however nothing could have prepared us for 210 million tons of oil and an 80 square mile “kill-zone”. To better understand how a disaster such as an oil spill affects an essentially untouched environment, the Exxon Valdez spill is an almost perfect

Reinhold, D., Vishwanathan, S., Park, JJ., Oh, D., Saunders, FM. 2010. Assessment of plant-driven removal of emerging organic pollutants by duckweed. Chemosphere [Internet]. [Cited 2015 Nov 15] 80(7) Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653510006363

These particles have a massively extensive surface zone in degree to a given volume. It has been enlisted that one cubic inch of colloidal mud may have 200–500 square feet of iota surface zone. Adsorption happens accordingly of an interest between the designed and soil particles. A pesticide that adsorbs to soil particles is more negative to move from the application site than a designed that does not adsorb unfalteringly to the earth (Fishel,F.M, 2014).

The clean up phase of the railroad avenue site has used solvent flushing for enhanced in-situ bioremediation in hot spot PCE zones and dissolved-phase plume. The site is also monitored at least

Deposition of the various wastes from the excavation process has a significant effect on the composition of micro-organisms on the environment. The remains are composed of biocides and heavy metal which have a significant effect on the environment and its inhabitants. Natural gases that escape such as methane mix with vapor from the environment, resulting in increased acidity of the soil. This reduces the productivity of land as crops do very poorly under such saline conditions (DiGiulion, Wilkin, Miller & Oberley, 2011). The acid levels leak to the earth’s surface changing the oxygen and bacterial contents of the soil structure. This in return results in the plants being unable to fix nitrogen, the consequence being the reduced hydration capability if the plant hampering the formation of cellulose hence weak and contaminated plants will be

One of the most efficient approaches to was found to be Bioremediation (1). Nearly 70 miles of ocean and the shorelines were treated nutrients to aid the microorganisms in degrading the large amount of oil (7). “Two fertilizers were selected for full-scale bioremediation: the oleophilic fertilizer Inipol EAP22, manufactured by Elf Aquitaine of France; and the slow release fertilizer Customblen 28-8-0, manufactured by Sierra Chemicals in California” (3). The fertilizer addition displayed considerable results as the sediment samples that within the first days of restoration and weeks following the spill, the hydrocarbon concentration of the oil spilled in Prince William Sound had been reduced by 25-30%. During the summer 1990, massive applications of fertilizer consisted of over 1400 individual site treatments at 378 shoreline segments. “Measurements in September of 1990 showed that the proportion of oil degrading bacteria had returned to background levels of under 1% of the total bacterial populations in pore waters” (2). Nearly 220 separate site treatments were applied in 1991. “By 1992 the length of shoreline still containing any significant amount of oil was 6.4 mi (10.2 km) or 1.3% of the shoreline oiled in 1989” (2). From the year 1989 to 1991, approximately 107,000 pounds of fertilizer was used to treat the pollution

Researchers found that eighty-six percent of the colonies within the central region exhibited at least 50% signs of impact.13 forty-six percent had exhibited impact levels of either a 3 or 4, and 23% of the colonies sustained impact which accumulated of more than 90% of the colony—displaying impact levels of 4.13 Another study focused on the impact which Deepwater Horizon had on the coastal salt marshes, located in and around the Bay Jimmy within northern Barataria Bay, Louisiana. This area was just one of the many which were severely impacted by this oil spill, the area affected covered more than 8 km x 5km.14. Within this field study seven stations were randomly selected from a much larger population which received heavy, moderate, as well as non-oiled marsh land.14 Both heavy and moderate shorelines accounted from 283 km of the 692 km of oiled march shorelines within Louisiana.15 Results showed that concentrations of total petroleum hydrocarbons within the soil were found to be significantly greater in heavily oiled marshes, when compared to moderate and controlled (non-impacted) marshes.15 Marshes which contained

Understanding various ecosystems allow us to better understand the impact in which the deep horizon spill had within each type of ecosystem. The oil spill occurred around three specific types of ecosystems including the coastal areas, the freshwater areas, and the upland areas. The coastal areas often contain salty marshes which can be harsh on many plants. These coastal areas also include tropical coral reefs, sand dunes, and maritime forests. The freshwater areas include rivers and springs, lakes, swamps and freshwater marshes while the upland areas have pine and Flatwoods, temperate forests, and scrub (Par. 5). Each of these ecosystems can provide a different mixtures of challenges

For instance, Rufe, who is a scientist, states that we have not developed an approach that can clean more than 3 to 5 percent of the spilled oil” (Mufson, 2012). Furthermore, In the Gulf of Mexico, although 205.8 million gallons of oil have been spilled, just 51.8 million gallons have been collected, which equals approximately 25 percent. Moreover, in order to clean the Gulf from the oil spills almost 2 million gallons of toxic dispersants were used. Unfortunately, the toxic dispersants did not truly purify the spilled oil, but fractured them into tinier particles. As a consequence, that may make the oil more harmful for some ocean animals and plants ( A Center for Biological Diversity Report, 2008). However, with the increasing of offshore oil drilling accidents, and with no solution to solve the problem efficiently. The hazardous impact is not going to affect only on animals and plants. It might affect people who depend on the polluted area for food, ecological enrichment, and entertainment ( A Center for Biological Diversity Report,

More than 700,000 gallons of this dispersant was used above the sea surface and near the well head below the surface. Dispersants break up large globs of oil into smaller droplets to greater bacterial access and easier consumption, potentially increasing the rates of oil degradation. Surface area to volume ratio of oil greatly impacts the rate of bioremediation [1]. These chemicals, however, are highly toxic and have even been banned in the United Kingdom. Studies have shown that two years after the spill, artificial dispersants had increased the oil toxicity by 52 times [5].

Many of these groups have made it their responsibility to the Earth to preserve it’s natural resources, and many of the organizations that we found focused on the preservation of soil. One of these in particular that we chose is the Recare Project. The link is to the website for additional information, as well as a description of what they do to preserve soil. Now, Recare works to prevent and remediate the degradation and overuse of soil in and all across Europe. Recare recognizes the fact that soil is an essential factor in the survival of humans as a race, and works to make sure that this resource is taken care of. They’re starting in Europe, but hopefully, after spreading the awareness that they are working to spread, they can soon expand their horizons to much more of the

Phytoremediation is the process by which plants and trees are used to remove or stabilize hazardous pollutants that exist in soil, sediments, surface water or groundwater. The EPA (environmental protection agency) estimates that more than 30,000 sites in the U.S. are in need of environmental treatment, and a great number of these sites are contaminated with highly toxic metals. Abandoned or under-used commercial and industrial facilities, termed as “brownfields,” are a major contributor to this environment concern. “Brownfields” pose significant health risks to nearby residential populations and threaten the plant and animal life close to them. Phytoremediation provides a very