Abstract
Oil spillage contamination has been one of the most common and challenging problems in marine ecosystems over the years due to frequent petroleum exploitation, washing, and transportation activities. The use of nature-derived surfactants has become an attractive approach to restore the sites affected by oil spillage. Several studies have demonstrated that nutrient addition is an efficient strategy to enhance oil biodegradation since microorganisms can use petroleum hydrocarbons as their carbon and energy source, thus favoring and increasing the hydrocarbons degradation rate. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a commercial bio-catalytic agent used in the biological remediation of crude oil-contaminated sites through the qualitative analysis of its properties. The tests applied to this bio-catalyst showed excellent results. For instance, the emulsification (E24) and critical micellar concentration (CMC) assays displayed average values of 74.47% and 40 mg L−1, respectively. A significant reduction of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), turbidity, and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon Content (TPHC) were observed in all the samples with bio-catalytic agent solution and aeration system. The best water quality was achieved by the sample with the highest concentration (10000 ppm) of bio-catalytic agent solution. It displayed a Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon removal efficiency (RTPH) of 81.537% after 30 days of the remediation time.
Highlights
The hydrocarbon industry has reached a considerable growth during the last decades, and nowadays, it is one of the most essential links in the economic and social development worldwide
The results showed that the least Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon Content (TPHC) removal efficiency was 66.1% for the control sample which had neither nutrients nor microbes added to it, and the highest TPHC reduction was achieved by a sample that comprised NPK fertilizer as the bio-catalyst, external microbes and was subjected to an aeration system
The highest %RCOD was 64.539 Æ 0.125, and it was attained by sample labeled F, which had the most concentrated bio-catalyst solution, followed by sample labeled E which had a removal efficiency of 35.325% Æ 0.125 for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) at the end of the remediation time. These results suggest preference of many investigators to apply the bio-augmentation method, or the bio-stimulation and bio-augmentation simultaneously with a consortium of microbial strains belong to different genera to attain best water quality and optimal results during remediation of crude oilcontaminated sites
Summary
The hydrocarbon industry has reached a considerable growth during the last decades, and nowadays, it is one of the most essential links in the economic and social development worldwide. The increase in total demand for energy and water has led to the implementation of waterintensive forms of power generation and energy-intensive platforms of water production, primarily driven by population growth. This excessive energy consumption has triggered the frequent exploitation of hydrocarbon reserves without considering the environmental impacts on terrestrial, aquatic and aerial ecosystems (Leahy and Colwell, 1990). The above statement agrees with what Adams et al (2008) affirm: "Oil contamination in bodies of water causes an impermeable film that quickly affects gas exchange and the passage of sunlight, giving way to the rupture of the food chain and a series of simultaneous physical and chemical changes, which make the natural degradation process slower, inefficient, and toxic”. This can produce substantial structural changes in the phytoplankton communities and the rest of marine fauna and flora (Asimea and Sam-Wobo, 2011)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
