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An S, Woo H, Kim SH, Yun ST, Chung J, Lee S. Complex behavior of petroleum hydrocarbons in vadose zone: A holistic analysis using unsaturated soil columns. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 326:138417. [PMID: 36925010 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The migration of petroleum hydrocarbons in vadose zone involves complex coupled processes such as downward displacement and natural attenuation. Despite its significance in determining groundwater vulnerability to petroleum contamination and optimizing the remedial strategy, it has not been comprehensively studied in terms of overall processes under field-relevant conditions. In this study, a series of unsaturated soil column experiments were conducted by simulating subsurface diesel contamination within a vadose zone using different soil textures at different soil bulk densities and initial diesel concentrations, while partly exposing them to simulated precipitation. The results showed that the soil column with less fine fraction was favorable for the downward migration of diesel but unfavorable for its natural degradation. However, precipitation complicated the relative conductivities of multiple fluids (water, air, and diesel) through the pore network, therby decreasing diesel migration and degradation. For example, the downward migration of diesel in the SL column decreased by 8.4% under precipitation, while the overall attenuation rate dropped to almost 0.24% of its original state. Lowering bulk density (from 1.5 to 1.23 g/cm3), however, could enhance the attenuation rate presumably due to the secured void space for the incoming fluids. A high initial concentration of diesel (2%; w/w) inhibited its natural attenuation, while its influence on its vertical propagation after the precipitation was not significant. The present findings provide a mechanistic basis for approximating the behavior of petroleum hydrocarbons in a random vadose zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seongnam An
- Water Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, South Korea
| | - Heesoo Woo
- Geo-technical Team, ECO Solution Business Unit, SK Ecoplant, Seoul, 03143, South Korea
| | - Sang Hyun Kim
- Water Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, South Korea
| | - Seong-Taek Yun
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, 136-701, South Korea
| | - Jaeshik Chung
- Water Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, South Korea; Division of Energy and Environmental Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, 02792, South Korea.
| | - Seunghak Lee
- Water Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, South Korea; Division of Energy and Environmental Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, 02792, South Korea; Graduate School of Energy and Environment (KU-KIST GREEN SCHOOL), Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea.
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Wang H, Yang Q, Zhu Y, Gu Q, Martín JD. Speciation, in vitro bioaccessibility and health risk of antimony in soils near an old industrial area. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 854:158767. [PMID: 36113806 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Antimony (Sb) contamination in soil has become a major environmental issue due to its adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. In this paper, 1255 soil samples were analyzed to investigate the distribution, speciation, in vitro oral bioaccessibility (8 soil samples) and human health risk of Sb in contaminated soils and its impacts on groundwater. The results showed that 4.38 % of the soil samples within the depth of 0-31 m exceeded the Risk Screening Values (RSV). Sb mainly existed in the residual fraction (38.05 % ∼ 94.22 %), Fe/Mn oxides (0.01 % ∼ 31.80 %) and the organic fraction (0.32 % ∼ 21.55 %) with poor mobility. The bioaccessibility of Sb was approximately <31 %. The total concentration of Sb (TSb) in soil was the dominant factor influencing the bioaccessible concentration of Sb (SbBio). Soil physiochemical properties such as Fe, Mn, and organic matter content (OM) also affected the magnitude of SbBio. Health risk assessment based on in vitro bioaccessibility suggested that the hazard quotient (HQ) of adults was within the acceptable level (HQ < 1) for industrial scenario, while the HQ of children and adults was greater than the acceptable level (HQ ≥ 1) for residential scenario, with a higher risk to children than adults. The results of the leaching experiment involving Dilution-Attenuation Factor (DAF) model suggested that the predicted maximum concentration of Sb in groundwater was 2.40 μg/L that is lower than the acceptable standard value (5 μg/L), implying that groundwater was not contaminated by Sb in soil. The findings of this study provide some insights into the speciation, in vitro bioaccessibility and health risk of toxic trace metals in contaminated soils and the potential environmental impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China; College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | - Qingchun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China; College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China.
| | - Yiwen Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China; College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | - Qingbao Gu
- Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China
| | - Jordi Delgado Martín
- Escuela de Ingenieros de Caminos, Universidad de A Coruña, A Coruña 15192, Spain
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Determining Adsorption Parameters of Potentially Contaminant-Releasing Materials Using Batch Tests with Differing Liquid-Solid Ratios. MATERIALS 2021; 14:ma14102534. [PMID: 34068116 PMCID: PMC8152731 DOI: 10.3390/ma14102534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Adsorption parameters such as the distribution coefficient are required to predict the release behavior of contaminants using advection-dispersion models. However, for potentially contaminant-releasing materials (PCMs) such as dredged sludge and coal ash, these parameters cannot be obtained by conventional adsorption tests. This study developed a method to determine adsorption parameters for PCMs from a set of batch tests conducted in parallel as a function of the liquid-solid ratio (LS-parallel test). This LS-parallel test was performed on sandy soil derived from marine sediment using liquid-solid ratios from 1 to 300 L/kg. The water-contact time was also changed from 10 min to 28 d to elucidate the kinetics or equilibrium of contaminants released from the sample. Adsorption parameters were successfully obtained if the substance was under adsorption control. A column percolation test was performed to confirm the effectiveness of the obtained parameters. Good agreements were observed for SO42- and B, but discrepancies remained for other substances such as F- and As suggesting that improvements are necessary in both the LS-parallel test procedure and the advection-dispersion model.
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Lieto A, Verginelli I, Zingaretti D, Lombardi F. Total organic carbon as a proxy for metal release from biostabilized wastes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:24650-24662. [PMID: 32705547 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09960-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we introduce a simple screening method to predict the metal release from biostabilized wastes as a function of the total organic carbon (TOC) content of the sample. The method relies on a model that simulates the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) as a function of the applied liquid to solid (L/S) ratio. The metal release is then estimated using generic empirical DOC to metal correlation coefficients (KDOC,Me) extrapolated from the literature. Specifically, the results of leaching tests carried out on different types of biowastes and biostabilized wastes were used to calculate the upper and lower KDOC,Me values that can be expected for common metals of concern (Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn). The statistical analysis of the estimated empirical coefficients highlighted that for most of the investigated metals, the adoption of generic DOC to metal correlation coefficients introduces relatively low uncertainties. The quartiles ratio (QR calculated as the ratio of third and first quartile) of the KDOC,Me coefficients extrapolated from the literature was indeed below 3 for Cu, Ni, and Zn and below 5 for Al, Ba, Cr, Pb, and V. Only for Mo, the QR was around 10 indicating that for this element, DOC can be a poor indicator of the release expected as a function of the applied L/S. Furthermore, by performing a sensitivity analysis, we found that the experimental conditions only slightly influence the metals release predicted by the model. Based on this evidence, simple nomograms that estimate the cumulative metal release in percolation column tests as a function of the applied L/S are provided. Furthermore, a simple equation that predicts the cumulative metal release expected at L/S of 10 L/kg is presented. The application of the latter to the results of percolation column tests carried out on 8 mechanical biological treatment (MBT) waste samples highlighted that the predicted metals release was close to the measured values with deviations within a factor of 5 for all the investigated metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Lieto
- Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Iason Verginelli
- Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Daniela Zingaretti
- Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Lombardi
- Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
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Fortin Faubert M, Hijri M, Labrecque M. Short Rotation Intensive Culture of Willow, Spent Mushroom Substrate and Ramial Chipped Wood for Bioremediation of a Contaminated Site Used for Land Farming Activities of a Former Petrochemical Plant. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:520. [PMID: 33802206 PMCID: PMC7999893 DOI: 10.3390/plants10030520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the bioremediation impacts of willows grown in short rotation intensive culture (SRIC) and supplemented or not with spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and ramial chipped wood (RCW). Results did not show that SMS significantly improved either biomass production or phytoremediation efficiency. After the three growing seasons, RCW-amended S. miyabeana accumulated significantly more Zn in the shoots, and greater increases of some PAHs were found in the soil of RCW-amended plots than in the soil of the two other ground cover treatments' plots. Significantly higher Cd concentrations were found in the shoots of cultivar 'SX61'. The results suggest that 'SX61' have reduced the natural attenuation of C10-C50 that occurred in the unvegetated control plots. The presence of willows also tended to increase the total soil concentrations of PCBs. Furthermore, we found that many contaminant concentrations were subject to seasonal oscillations, showing average increases throughout the whole experimental site after a growing period, while showing significantly different variations, such as lesser increases or even decreases, after a dormant period. These observations suggest that contaminants may have leached or degraded faster in untreated conditions, and conversely to have mobilized towards trees through water flow driven by plant transpiration during growing seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Fortin Faubert
- Institut de Recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal and Jardin Botanique de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke East, Montréal, QC H1X 2B2, Canada; (M.F.F.); (M.H.)
| | - Mohamed Hijri
- Institut de Recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal and Jardin Botanique de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke East, Montréal, QC H1X 2B2, Canada; (M.F.F.); (M.H.)
- African Genome Center, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Lot 660, Hay Moulay Rachid, Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco
| | - Michel Labrecque
- Institut de Recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal and Jardin Botanique de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke East, Montréal, QC H1X 2B2, Canada; (M.F.F.); (M.H.)
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Abstract
AbstractThe aim of this work is to assess the risk of groundwater contamination associated with BTEX dissolution from fuels as a residual phase. Numerical simulations of sixty scenarios were carried out with the software HYDRUS 2D/3D. Groundwater contamination risk was analyzed given the combination of different porous media textures (silt loam, sandy loam and clay), water fluxes (0.5%, 1% or 3% Rainfall), water table depths (1.5, 2.5, 5 or 8 m below ground surface) and biodegradation rate (active or null). Risk was calculated comparing leachate concentrations to the aquifer and limits established by an international guideline for human drinking water. In all cases, benzene and toluene had the highest mobility in the dissolved phase. Contrary, xylene and ethylbenzene tended to concentrate close to the source zone. These two compounds predominantly concentrated in the solid phase. Calculated risk was proportional to the water flux rate and inversely proportional to the unsaturated thickness. Without biodegradation, in fine-grained sediments risk was very high for shallow aquifers (> 1.5 m depth) and moderate or low for deeper aquifers. However, in sandy loam sediments risk was classified as very high for aquifers up to 8 m deep. When biodegradation was considered, leached concentrations were greatly reduced in the three textures. BTEX concentration in Bahía Blanca City´s aquifer showed acceptable agreement with simulated scenarios. The most sensitive parameters to model results were biodegradation > foc > water table depth > Ks. This study is important for assessing the risks and developing management strategies for fuel contaminated sites.
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A Comparative Assessment of Analytical Fate and Transport Models of Organic Contaminants in Unsaturated Soils. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12072949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Analytical models for the simulation of contaminants’ fate and transport in the unsaturated zone are used in many engineering applications concerning groundwater resource management and risk assessment. As a consequence, several scientific studies dealing with the development and application of analytical solutions have been carried out. Six models have been selected and compared based on common characteristics to identify pros and cons as well as to highlight any difference in the final output. The analyzed models have been clustered into three groups according to the assumptions on contaminant source and physico-chemical mechanisms occurring during the transport. Comparative simulations were carried out with five target contaminants (Benzene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Vinyl Chloride, Trichloroethylene and Aldrin) with different decay’s coefficient, three types of soil (sand, loam and clay) and three different thicknesses of the contaminant source. The calculated concentration at a given depth in the soil for the same contamination scenario varied greatly among the models. A significant variability of the concentrations was shown due to the variation of contaminant and soil characteristics. As a general finding, the more advanced is the model, the lower the predicted concentrations; thus, models that are too simplified could lead to outcomes of some orders of magnitude greater than the advanced one.
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Locatelli L, Binning PJ, Sanchez-Vila X, Søndergaard GL, Rosenberg L, Bjerg PL. A simple contaminant fate and transport modelling tool for management and risk assessment of groundwater pollution from contaminated sites. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2019; 221:35-49. [PMID: 30638639 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 11/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/11/2018] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Contaminated sites pose a significant threat to groundwater resources. The resources that can be allocated by water regulators for site investigation and cleanup are limited compared to the large number of contaminated sites. Numerical transport models of individual sites require large amounts of data and are labor intensive to set up, and thus they are likely to be too expensive to be useful in the management of thousands of contaminated sites. Therefore, simple tools based on analytical solutions of contaminant transport models are widely used to assess (at an early stage) whether a site might pose a threat to groundwater. We present a tool consisting of five different models, representing common geological settings, contaminant pathways, and transport processes. The tool employs a simplified approach for preliminary, conservative, fast and inexpensive estimation of the contamination levels of aquifers. This is useful for risk assessment applications or to select and prioritize the sites, which should be targeted for further investigation. The tool is based on steady-state semi-analytical models simulating different contaminant transport scenarios from the source to downstream groundwater, and includes both unsaturated and saturated transport processes. The models combine existing analytical solutions from the literature for vertical (from the source to the top of the aquifer) and horizontal (within the aquifer) transport. The effect of net recharge causing a downward migration and an increase of vertical dispersion and dilution of the plume is also considered. Finally, we illustrate the application of the tool for a preliminary assessment of two contaminated sites in Denmark and compare the model results with field data. The comparison shows that a first preliminary assessment with conservative, and often non-site specific parameter selection, is qualitatively consistent with broad trends in observations and provides a conservative estimate of contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Locatelli
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet, Building 115, Kgs Lyngby 2800, Denmark; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C. Jordi Girona 1-3, Barcelona 08034, Spain.
| | - Philip J Binning
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet, Building 115, Kgs Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Xavier Sanchez-Vila
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C. Jordi Girona 1-3, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - Gitte Lemming Søndergaard
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet, Building 115, Kgs Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Louise Rosenberg
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet, Building 115, Kgs Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Poul L Bjerg
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet, Building 115, Kgs Lyngby 2800, Denmark
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Chiu H, Verpoort F, Liu J, Chang Y, Kao C. Using intrinsic bioremediation for petroleum–hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater cleanup and migration containment: Effectiveness and mechanism evaluation. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Verginelli I, Capobianco O, Hartog N, Baciocchi R. Analytical model for the design of in situ horizontal permeable reactive barriers (HPRBs) for the mitigation of chlorinated solvent vapors in the unsaturated zone. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2017; 197:50-61. [PMID: 28109630 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2016.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In this work we introduce a 1-D analytical solution that can be used for the design of horizontal permeable reactive barriers (HPRBs) as a vapor mitigation system at sites contaminated by chlorinated solvents. The developed model incorporates a transient diffusion-dominated transport with a second-order reaction rate constant. Furthermore, the model accounts for the HPRB lifetime as a function of the oxidant consumption by reaction with upward vapors and its progressive dissolution and leaching by infiltrating water. Simulation results by this new model closely replicate previous lab-scale tests carried out on trichloroethylene (TCE) using a HPRB containing a mixture of potassium permanganate, water and sand. In view of field applications, design criteria, in terms of the minimum HPRB thickness required to attenuate vapors at acceptable risk-based levels and the expected HPRB lifetime, are determined from site-specific conditions such as vapor source concentration, water infiltration rate and HPRB mixture. The results clearly show the field-scale feasibility of this alternative vapor mitigation system for the treatment of chlorinated solvents. Depending on the oxidation kinetic of the target contaminant, a 1m thick HPRB can ensure an attenuation of vapor concentrations of orders of magnitude up to 20years, even for vapor source concentrations up to 10g/m3. A demonstrative application for representative contaminated site conditions also shows the feasibility of this mitigation system from an economical point of view with capital costs potentially somewhat lower than those of other remediation options, such as soil vapor extraction systems. Overall, based on the experimental and theoretical evaluation thus far, field-scale tests are warranted to verify the potential and cost-effectiveness of HPRBs for vapor mitigation control under various conditions of application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iason Verginelli
- Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
| | - Oriana Capobianco
- Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Niels Hartog
- KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands; Utrecht University, Department of Earth Sciences, The Netherlands
| | - Renato Baciocchi
- Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
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Gkorezis P, Daghio M, Franzetti A, Van Hamme JD, Sillen W, Vangronsveld J. The Interaction between Plants and Bacteria in the Remediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons: An Environmental Perspective. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1836. [PMID: 27917161 PMCID: PMC5116465 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread pollution of terrestrial ecosystems with petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) has generated a need for remediation and, given that many PHCs are biodegradable, bio- and phyto-remediation are often viable approaches for active and passive remediation. This review focuses on phytoremediation with particular interest on the interactions between and use of plant-associated bacteria to restore PHC polluted sites. Plant-associated bacteria include endophytic, phyllospheric, and rhizospheric bacteria, and cooperation between these bacteria and their host plants allows for greater plant survivability and treatment outcomes in contaminated sites. Bacterially driven PHC bioremediation is attributed to the presence of diverse suites of metabolic genes for aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, along with a broader suite of physiological properties including biosurfactant production, biofilm formation, chemotaxis to hydrocarbons, and flexibility in cell-surface hydrophobicity. In soils impacted by PHC contamination, microbial bioremediation generally relies on the addition of high-energy electron acceptors (e.g., oxygen) and fertilization to supply limiting nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) in the face of excess PHC carbon. As an alternative, the addition of plants can greatly improve bioremediation rates and outcomes as plants provide microbial habitats, improve soil porosity (thereby increasing mass transfer of substrates and electron acceptors), and exchange limiting nutrients with their microbial counterparts. In return, plant-associated microorganisms improve plant growth by reducing soil toxicity through contaminant removal, producing plant growth promoting metabolites, liberating sequestered plant nutrients from soil, fixing nitrogen, and more generally establishing the foundations of soil nutrient cycling. In a practical and applied sense, the collective action of plants and their associated microorganisms is advantageous for remediation of PHC contaminated soil in terms of overall cost and success rates for in situ implementation in a diversity of environments. Mechanistically, there remain biological unknowns that present challenges for applying bio- and phyto-remediation technologies without having a deep prior understanding of individual target sites. In this review, evidence from traditional and modern omics technologies is discussed to provide a framework for plant-microbe interactions during PHC remediation. The potential for integrating multiple molecular and computational techniques to evaluate linkages between microbial communities, plant communities and ecosystem processes is explored with an eye on improving phytoremediation of PHC contaminated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Gkorezis
- Environmental Biology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt UniversityDiepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Matteo Daghio
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-BicoccaMilano, Italy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, KamloopsBC, Canada
| | - Andrea Franzetti
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-BicoccaMilano, Italy
| | | | - Wouter Sillen
- Environmental Biology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt UniversityDiepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Jaco Vangronsveld
- Environmental Biology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt UniversityDiepenbeek, Belgium
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Di Gianfilippo M, Costa G, Verginelli I, Gavasci R, Lombardi F. Analysis and interpretation of the leaching behaviour of waste thermal treatment bottom ash by batch and column tests. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2016; 56:216-228. [PMID: 27478024 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2016.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This paper investigates the leaching behaviour of specific types of waste thermal treatment bottom ash (BA) as a function of both pH and the liquid-to-solid ratio (L/S). Specifically, column percolation tests and different types of batch tests (including pH-dependence) were applied to BA produced by hospital waste incineration (HW-I), Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) gasification (RDF-G) and RDF incineration (RDF-I). The results of these tests were interpreted applying an integrated graphical and modelling approach aimed at identifying the main mechanisms (solubility, availability or time-controlled dissolution and diffusion) governing the release of specific constituents from each type of BA. The final aim of this work was in fact to gain insight on the information that can be provided by the leaching tests applied, and hence on which ones may be more suitable to apply for assessing the leaching concentrations expected in the field. The results of the leaching tests showed that the three samples of analysed BA presented differences of orders of magnitude in their leaching behaviour, especially as a function of pH, but also in terms of the L/S. These were mainly related to the differences in mineralogy of the samples. In addition, for the same type of bottom ash, the comparison between the results of batch and percolation column tests, expressed in terms of cumulative release, showed that for some constituents (e.g. Mg for HW-I BA and Cu for RDF-G BA) differences of over one order of magnitude were obtained due to variations in pH and DOC release. Similarly, the eluate concentrations observed in the percolation tests, for most of the investigated elements, were not directly comparable with the results of the pH-dependence tests. In particular, in some cases the percolation test results showed eluate concentrations of some constituents (e.g. K and Ca in HW-I BA) of up to one order of magnitude higher than the values obtained from the pH-dependence experiments at the same pH value. This was attributed to a rapid washout from the column of the soluble phases present in the BA. In contrast, for other constituents (e.g. Mg and Ba for the RDF-G BA), especially at high L/S ratios, the concentrations in the column tests were of up to one order of magnitude lower than the solubility value, indicating release under non-equilibrium conditions. In these cases, batch pH-dependence tests should be preferred, since column tests results could underestimate the concentrations expected in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Di Gianfilippo
- Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Costa
- Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
| | - Iason Verginelli
- Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Renato Gavasci
- Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Lombardi
- Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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13
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Verginelli I, Yao Y, Wang Y, Ma J, Suuberg EM. Estimating the oxygenated zone beneath building foundations for petroleum vapor intrusion assessment. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2016; 312:84-96. [PMID: 27016669 PMCID: PMC5283078 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies show that aerobic biodegradation can effectively reduce hydrocarbon soil gas concentrations by orders of magnitude. Increasingly, oxygen limited biodegradation is being included in petroleum vapor intrusion (PVI) guidance for risk assessment at leaking underground storage tank sites. The application of PVI risk screening tools is aided by the knowledge of subslab oxygen conditions, which, however, are not commonly measured during site investigations. Here we introduce an algebraically explicit analytical method that can estimate oxygen conditions beneath the building slab, for PVI scenarios with impervious or pervious building foundations. Simulation results by this new model are then used to illustrate the role of site-specific conditions in determining the oxygen replenishment below the building for both scenarios. Furthermore, critical slab-width-to-source-depth ratios and critical source depths for the establishment of a subslab "oxygen shadow" (i.e. anoxic zone below the building) are provided as a function of key parameters such as vapor source concentration, effective diffusion coefficients of concrete and building depth. For impervious slab scenarios the obtained results are shown in good agreement with findings by previous studies and further support the recommendation by U.S. EPA about the inapplicability of vertical exclusion distances for scenarios involving large buildings and high source concentrations. For pervious slabs, results by this new model indicate that even relatively low effective diffusion coefficients of concrete can facilitate the oxygen transport into the subsurface below the building and create oxygenated conditions below the whole slab foundation favorable for petroleum vapor biodegradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iason Verginelli
- Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico, 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Yijun Yao
- Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health(Ministry of Education), College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Institute of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Yue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health(Ministry of Education), College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Institute of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jie Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Lab of Oil & Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China
| | - Eric M Suuberg
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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Yao Y, Wu Y, Tang M, Wang Y, Wang J, Suuberg EM, Jiang L, Liu J. Evaluation of site-specific lateral inclusion zone for vapor intrusion based on an analytical approach. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2015; 298:221-31. [PMID: 26057584 PMCID: PMC4777972 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2015.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Revised: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/14/2015] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
In 2002, U.S. EPA proposed a general buffer zone of approximately 100 feet (30 m) laterally to determine which buildings to include in vapor intrusion (VI) investigations. However, this screening distance can be threatened by factors such as extensive surface pavements. Under such circumstances, EPA recommended investigating soil vapor migration distance on a site-specific basis. To serve this purpose, we present an analytical model (AAMLPH) as an alternative to estimate lateral VI screening distances at chlorinated compound-contaminated sites. Based on a previously introduced model (AAML), AAMLPH is developed by considering the effects of impervious surface cover and soil geology heterogeneities, providing predictions consistent with the three-dimensional (3-D) numerical simulated results. By employing risk-based and contribution-based screening levels of subslab concentrations (50 and 500 μg/m(3), respectively) and source-to-subslab attenuation factor (0.001 and 0.01, respectively), AAMLPH suggests that buildings greater than 30 m from a plume boundary can still be affected by VI in the presence of any two of the three factors, which are high source vapor concentration, shallow source and significant surface cover. This finding justifies the concern that EPA has expressed about the application of the 30 m lateral separation distance in the presence of physical barriers (e.g., asphalt covers or ice) at the ground surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Yao
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Yun Wu
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mengling Tang
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Institute of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jianjin Wang
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | | | - Lin Jiang
- Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environmental Protection, Beijing 100037, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Institute of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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Pantini S, Verginelli I, Lombardi F. Analysis and modeling of metals release from MBT wastes through batch and up-flow column tests. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2015; 38:22-32. [PMID: 25577945 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2014.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Revised: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The leaching behavior of wastes coming out from Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) plants is still poorly investigated in literature. This work presents an attempt to provide a deeper insight about the contaminants release from this type of waste. To this end, results of several batch and up-flow percolation tests, carried out on different biologically treated waste samples collected from an Italian MBT plant, are reported. The obtained results showed that, despite MBT wastes are characterized by relatively high heavy metals content, only a limited amount was actually soluble and thus bioavailable. Namely, the release percentage was generally lower than 5% of the total content with the only exception of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), Zn, Ni and Co with release percentages up to 20%. The information provided by the different tests also allowed to highlight some key factors governing the kinetics release of DOC and metals from this type of material. In particular, results of up-flow column percolation tests showed that metals such as Cr, Mg, Ni and Zn followed essentially the leaching trend of DOC suggesting that these elements were mainly released as organo-compounds. Actually, a strong linear correlation (R(2) > 0.8) between DOC and metals concentration in eluates was observed, especially for Cr, Ni and Zn (R(2)>0.94). Thus, combining the results of batch and up-flow column percolation tests, partition coefficients between DOC and metals concentration were derived. These data, coupled with a simplified screening model for DOC release, allowed to get a very good prediction of metal release during the different column tests. Finally, combining the experimental data with a simplified model provided some useful indications for the evaluation of long-term emissions from this type of waste in landfill disposal scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Pantini
- Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico, 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
| | - Iason Verginelli
- Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico, 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Lombardi
- Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via del Politecnico, 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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Verginelli I, Baciocchi R. Vapor intrusion screening model for the evaluation of risk-based vertical exclusion distances at petroleum contaminated sites. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:13263-13272. [PMID: 25329246 DOI: 10.1021/es503723g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The key role of biodegradation in attenuating the migration of petroleum hydrocarbon vapors into the indoor environments has been deeply investigated in the last decades. Very recently, empirical screening levels for the separation distance from the source, above which the potential for vapor intrusion can be considered negligible, were defined. In this paper, an analytical solution that allows one to predict risk-based vertical screening distances for hydrocarbons compounds is presented. The proposed solution relies on a 1-D vapor intrusion model that incorporates a piecewise first-order aerobic biodegradation limited by oxygen availability and accounts also for the effect of the building footprint. The model predictions are shown to be consistent with the results obtained using a 3-D numerical model and with the empirical screening criteria defined by U.S.EPA and CRC care. However, the different simulations carried out show that in some specific cases (e.g., large building footprint, high methane concentration, and low attenuation in the capillary fringe), the respect of these empirical screening criteria could be insufficient to guarantee soil-gas concentrations below acceptable risk-based levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iason Verginelli
- Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Via del Politecnico, 1 00133 Rome, Italy
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Contamination of the Environmental Matrices in Agricultural Areas Produced by Industrial Discharges: The Case Study of the Land of the City of Statte (Taranto, Southern Italy). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.proenv.2013.06.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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