Feasibility of oxidation-biodegradation serial foam spraying for total petroleum hydrocarbon removal without soil disturbance

Abstract

This study evaluated surface foam spraying technology, which avoids disturbing the soil, to deliver chemical oxidant and oil-degrading microbes to unsaturated soil for 30 days. Hydrogen peroxide foam was sprayed once onto diesel contaminated soil for oxidation of soil total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH). Periodic bioaugmentation foam was sprayed every three days for biodegradation of soil TPH. Foam spraying employing oxidation-bioaugmentation serial application significantly reduced soil TPH concentrations to 550 mg·kg−1 from an initial 7470 mg·kg−1. This study selected an optimal hydrogen peroxide concentration of 5%, which is capable of treating diesel oil contaminated soil following biodegradation without supplementary iron. Application of hydrogen peroxide by foam spraying increased the infiltration of hydrogen peroxide into the unsaturated soil. Surface foam spraying provided the aqueous phase of remediation agents evenly to the unsaturated soil and resulted in relatively similar soil water content throughout the soil. The easy and even infiltration of remediation reagents increased their contact with contaminants, resulting in enhanced oxidation and biodegradation. Fractional analysis of TPH showed C18-C22 present in diesel as biodegradation recalcitrant hydrocarbons. Recalcitrant hydrocarbons were reduced by 92% using oxidation-biodegradation serial foam, while biodegradation alone only reduced the recalcitrant fraction by 25%.