Biodegradation of artificial petroleum based pollutants-soil mixtures via aerated bioreactor with the aid of enzymatic accelerating reagent

Abstract

Introduction: Pollution with oil products considered one of the most environmental problems that need to be treated significantly.Artificial polluted mixtures of pollutants and soil had been bio-treated via aerated bioreactor. Methods: Mixtures of used lubricating oil, crude oil and petroleum sludge had been mixed individually with soil in pre-determined ratio and treated via the bioreactor. The living microorganisms existed in soil were reinforced with enzymatic accelerating reagent to examine their activity in relatively cold ambient temperature. Results and Conclusion: Percentage of removal for the total organic hydrocarbons was recorded to be 74.4 %, 77.7 % and 68.2 % at the end of the fifth week of treatment of the three studied mixtures, respectively. This gives a significant indication of the ability of the used reagent combined with existing microorganisms to dissolute heavy hydrocarbon substances contaminates the soil in extreme ambient conditions.