Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from contaminated soil in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor

Abstract

A two-phase partitioning bioreactor was employed to remediate soil contaminated by a mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons consisting of phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene. In this study, the transfer of three PAHs into the water-immiscible liquid phase (silicone oil or paraffine oil) from the soil was investigated during the first 24 h. And then, phenanthrene and anthracene were degraded by approximately 90% and 80%, respectively, compared with initial concentration in soil, but pyrene was not degraded during seven days of operation period. In addition, the feasibility of a soil slurry sequencing batch reactor system in terms of continuously operating a two-phase partitioning bioreactor was investigated. Phenanthrene and anthracene were degraded semi-continuously and repeatedly during two operating cycles. Pyrene was still not degraded and was just transferred into the water-immiscible liquid phase considering its solubility.