Sorption-desorption experiments of fluorene (FLU) and fluoranthene (FLT) in soils were carried out and correlated to their removal from aged contaminated soils using aqueous solutions in the absence and in the presence of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) as the extraction agent. FLU became more resistant to extraction in aged contaminated soils due to its initial adsorption onto the mineral...

The aim of this study was to characterize soils contaminated by different levels of heavy metals and hydrocarbons (Madonna Dell'Acqua, Pisa, Italy). The soils were chemically and biochemically analysed by measuring the standard chemical properties and some enzyme activities related to microbial activity (dehydrogenase activity) and the soil carbon cycle (total and extracellular beta-glucosidase...

Soil bacteria play a major role in ecological and biodegradable function processes in oil-contaminated soils. Here, we assessed the bacterial diversity and changes therein in oil-contaminated soils exposed to different periods of oil pollution using 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes. No less than 24,953 valid reads and 6246 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained from all five studi...

Special Antarctic Blend (SAB) is a diesel fuel dominated by aliphatic hydrocarbons that is commonly used in Antarctic and subantarctic regions. The past and present use of SAB fuel at Australia's scientific research stations has resulted in multiple spills, contaminating soils in these pristine areas. Despite this, no soil quality guidelines or remediation targets have been developed for the re...

The remediation of oil contaminated soils has been a major problem in oil producing countries and recently use of plants to clean such soils has been on investigation. In order to identify plants that can enhance the remediation of crude oil contaminated soil, the effect of the growth of G. max on the physico-chemistry and crude oil content of soil contaminated with different concentrations of ...

Hazardous organic and metallic residues or by-products can enter into plants, soils, and sediments from processes associated with domestic, municipal, agricultural, industrial, and military activities. Handling, ingestion, application to land or other distributions of the contaminated materials into the environment might render harm to humans, livestock, wildlife, crops, or native plants. Consi...

The term bioremediation covers a wide variety of engineered systems which utilize microorganisms to degrade, detoxify and immobilize organic contaminants. These systems include: l solid-phase treatment using unlined iand treatment systems or prepared bed bioreactors, l slurry-phase treatment systems completed either in-place or within tanks or impoundments, and l in situ treatment systems. Bior...

We evaluated the ability of As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata (PV) to remove As from As-contaminated soils over five harvests in 2.5 years in raised beds (162 kg soil/bed). We tested the hypothesis that a P-limiting environment would enhance PV growth and As uptake owing its unique ability to uptake P under As-rich environment. In Dec. 2009, PV was transplanted to three As-contaminated soils (...

Many sites are contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs). In some cases, these PHCs may be biorecalcitrant and therefore the soils contaminated with these PHCs are not amenable to remediation by biological treatment methods. Examples of sites containing biorecalcitrant PHCs are old flare pit sites. Flare pits are earthen pits that were once used for the storage and disposal of natural gas...