Title: | Effect of biochar on the fate of volatile petroleum hydrocarbons in an aerobic sandy soil |
Author(s): | Bushnaf KM; Puricelli S; Saponaro S; Werner D; |
Address: | "School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU England, United Kingdom" |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2011.08.008 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1873-6009 (Electronic) 0169-7722 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Biochar addition to soil is currently being investigated as a novel technology to remediate polluted sites. A critical consideration is the impact of biochar on the intrinsic microbial pollutant degradation, in particular at sites polluted with a mixture of readily biodegradable and more persistent organic pollutants. We therefore studied the impact of biochar (2% on dry weight basis) on the fate of volatile petroleum hydrocarbons in an aerobic sandy soil with batch and column studies. The soil-water partitioning coefficient, K(d), was enhanced in the biochar-amended soil up to a factor 36, and petroleum hydrocarbon vapor migration was retarded accordingly. Despite increased sorption, in particular of monoaromatic hydrocarbons, the overall microbial respiration was comparable in the biochar-amended and unamended soil. This was due to more rapid biodegradation of linear, cyclic and branched alkanes in the biochar amended soil. We concluded that the total petroleum hydrocarbon degradation rate was controlled by a factor other than substrate availability and the reduced availability of monoaromatic hydrocarbons in the biochar amended soil led to greater biodegradation of the other petroleum compounds" |
Keywords: | "Adsorption Biodegradation, Environmental Charcoal/*chemistry Hydrocarbons/*analysis/chemistry Petroleum/*analysis Petroleum Pollution Soil Pollutants/*analysis/chemistry Time Factors Volatilization;" |
Notes: | "MedlineBushnaf, Khaled M Puricelli, Sara Saponaro, Sabrina Werner, David eng Netherlands 2011/11/26 J Contam Hydrol. 2011 Nov 1; 126(3-4):208-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2011.08.008. Epub 2011 Sep 8" |