Kinetic modelling of total petroleum hydrocarbon in spent lubricating petroleum oil impacted soil under different treatments

ABSTRACT

The integration of first and second order kinetic model in parameter estimation for the degradation pattern of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) in spent lubricating petroleum oil (SLPO) over a four-month period was the subject of the present investigation. Study design considered four treatment microcosms notably; sewage sludge (SB), monitored natural recovery (MNR), surfactant (SA) and control (SO). The rate of TPH degradation using sewage sludge as amendment material depicted effective TPH removal within ten weeks. A maximum allowable concentration of residual TPH (4300 mg kg⁻¹) was obtained through an amendment with sewage sludge. Degradation constant (k) produced by both first and second order rates significantly demonstrated the performance of sewage sludge biomass over the other three treatments applied, however, experimental data adequately fitted into the first order kinetics (k = 0.27 d⁻¹, t½ = 3.0 d). TPH removal efficiency of sewage sludge and detergent were 96.0% and 81.0% respectively. The use of sewage sludge biomass significantly (p < .05) improved soil biological characteristics and produced optimum dehydrogenase activity (DHA ≥ 8.8 TPFg⁻¹ d), germination index (%IG ≥ 88%), and chlorophyll content (chl ≥ 100 µg cm⁻²), thus, recommended for field scale application in soil hydrocarbon pollution remediation.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Kinetic model
• hydrocarbon
• sewage sludge biomass
• surfactant
• monitored natural recovery

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The research was supported by National Key Research and Development Plan [grant number 2016YFC0401703], and Chinese National Science Foundation [grant numbers 5177090079, 51579071, 51379061, 41323001, 51539003, 41330751, 51279192]; National Science Funds for Creative Research Groups of China [grant number 51421006]; the program of Dual Innovative Talents Plan and Innovative Research Team in Jiangsu Province; the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.