Accelerated soil bioremediation at presence of adsorbents

 

Strijakova E.R., Vasilyeva G.K.

 

In spite of great potential of living organisms to degrade and transform organic chemicals to nontoxic products application of bioremediation is presently restricted: usually in 5-10% cases of total soil treatments. It is applied mostly for soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons or comparatively readily degradable synthetic chemicals presented in moderate concentrations: from 100 to 1000 mg/kg. The method developed by us is based on the introduction of adsorbents into soil to reduce toxicity of the chemicals and so create optimal conditions for activity of indigenous soil biota or specially introduced organisms. Hereby the adsorbed contaminants remain available for biodegradation. In addition, the adsorbents localize the contaminated spot preventing the contaminant migration to air and natural waters. It permits using of inexpensive and energy saving soil treatments. Bioremediation of surface contaminated soils (e.g. shortly after accidental contamination) can be developed in situ, while deeper contaminated soils should be excavated and treated through land farming or in a bioreactor. Use of optimal brand, form, dose and composition of adsorbents along with proper soil treatment provides saving of soil structure and sometimes its improvement. The effectiveness of the approach has been demonstrated for soils highly contaminated with arylamide herbicides, chloroanilines, PCB, however it should be rather universal for many toxic organic contaminants.

 

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