• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.339-345
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• 2009

We evaluated the activity and abundance of the crude-oil-degrading bacterium Nocardia sp. H17-1 during bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil, using real-time PCR. The total petroleum hydrocarbon(TPH) degradation rate constants(k) of the soils treated with and without H17-1 were $0.103\;d^{-1}$ and $0.028\;d^{-1}$ respectively. The degradation rate constant was 3.6 times higher in the soil with H17-1 than in the soil without H17-1. In order to detect and quantify the Nocardia sp. H17-1 in soil samples, we quantified the genes encoding 16S ribosomal RNA(16S rRNA), alkane monooxygenase(alkB4), and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase(23CAT) with real-time PCR using SYBR green. The amounts of H17-1 16S rRNA and alkB4 detected increased rapidly up to 1,000-folds for the first 10 days, and then continued to increase only slightly or leveled off. However, the abundance of the 23CAT gene detected in H17-1-treated soil, where H17-1 had neither the 23CAT gene for the degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons nor the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase activity, did not differ significantly from that of the untreated soil($\alpha$=0.05,p>0.22). These results indicated that H17-1 is a potential candidate for the bioaugmentation of alkane-contaminated soil. Overall, we evaluated the abundance and metabolic activity of the bioremediation strain H17-1 using real-time PCR, independent of cultivation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1329-1336
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• 2011

The objectives of this study are to examine the processing of oils contamination soil by means of using a micronano-bubble soil washing system, to investigate the various factors such as washing periods, the amount of micro-nano bubbles generated depending on the quantity of acid injection and quantity of air injection, to examine the features involved in the elimination of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) contained in the soil, and thus to evaluate the possibility of practical application on the field for the economic feasibility. The oils contaminated soil used in this study was collected from the 0~15 cm surface layer of an automobile junkyard located in U City. The collected soil was air-dried for 24 hours, and then the large particles and other substances contained in the soil were eliminated and filtered through sieve No.10 (2 mm) to secure consistency in the samples. The TPH concentration of the contaminated soil was found to be 4,914~5,998 mg/kg. The micronano-bubble soil washing system consists of the reactor, the flow equalization tank, the micronano- bubble generator, the pump and the strainer, and was manufactured with stainless material for withstanding acidic phase. When the injected air flow rate was fixed at 2 L/min, for each hydrogen peroxide concentrations (5, 10, 15%) the removal percents for TPH within the contaminated soil with retention times of 30 minutes were respectively identified as 4,931 mg/kg (18.9%), 4,678 mg/kg (18.9%) and, 4,513 mg/kg (17.7%). And when the injected air flow rate was fixed at 2 L/min, for each hydrogen peroxide concentrations (5, 10, 15%) the removal percents for TPH within the contaminated soil with retention times of 120 minutes were respectively identified as4,256 mg/kg (22.3%), 4,621 mg/kg (19.7%) and 4,268 mg/kg (25.9%).

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.34-45
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• 2014

A variety of physical, chemical, and microbiological techniques have been developed to deal with soil and groundwater contamination. However, in the presence of the large portion of soil micro-environments, contaminant rebound and/or tailing have been frequently reported. Case study of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) removal by full-scale land farming showed that contaminant rebound and/or tailing occurred in 9 out of total 21 cases and subsequently resulted in problems of a long term operation to satisfy TPH guidelines of contaminated soil and groundwater. The main cause of contaminant rebound and tailing is considered to be the strong interactions between contaminants and micro-environments including micro-particles, micro-pores, and organic matter. Thus, this study reviewed the effects of soil micro-environments of soil and groundwater on the removal efficiency for both heavy metals and petroleum contaminants. In addition, the various methods of sampling, analysis, and assessment of soil micro-environments were evaluated. Thorough understanding of the effects of soil micro-environments on contaminant removal will be essential to achieve a cost-effective and efficient solution to contaminated sites.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.44-52
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• 2002

Low temperature thermal desorption (LTTD) has become one of the cornerstone technologies used for the treatment of contaminated soils and sediments in the United States. LTTD technology was first used in the mid-1980s for soil treatment on sites managed under the Comprehensive Environmental Respones, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) or Superfund. Implementation was facilitated by CERCLA regulations that require only that spplicable regulations shall be met thus avoiding the need for protracted and expensive permit applications for thermal treatment equipment. The initial equipment designs used typically came from technology transfer sources. Asphalt manufacturing plants were converted to direct-fired LTTD systems, and conventional calciners were adapted for use as indirect-fired LTTD systems. Other innovative designs included hot sand recycle technology (initially developed for synfuels production from tar sand and oil shale), recycle sweep gas, travelling belts and batch-charged vacuum chambers, among others. These systems were used to treat soil contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxin with varying degrees of success. Ultimately, performance and cost considerations established the suite of systems that are used for LTTD soil treatment applications today. This paper briefly reviews the develpoment of LTTD systems and summarizes the design, performance and cost characteristics of the equipment in use today. Designs reviewed include continuous feed direct-fired and indirect-fired equipment, batch feed systems and in-situ equipment. Performance is compared in terms of before-and-after contaminant levels in the soil and permissible emissions levels in the stack gas vented to the atmosphere. The review of air emissions standards includes a review of regulations in the U.S. and the European Union (EU). Key cost centers for the mobilization and operation of LTTD equipment are identified and compared for the different types of LTTD systems in use today. A work chart is provided for the selection of the optmum LTTD system for site-specific applications. LTTD technology continues to be a cornerstone technology for soil treatment in the U.S. and elsewhere. Examples of leading-edge LTTD technologies developed in the U.S. that are now being delivered locally in global projects are described.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.85-103
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• 2023

The in-situ remediation of a solidified stratum containing a large amount of fine-texture material like clay or organic matter in contaminated soil faces limitations such as increased remediation cost resulting from decreased purification efficiency. Even if the soil conditions are good, remediation generally requires a long time to complete because of non-uniform soil properties and low permeability. This study assessed the remediation effect and evaluated the field applicability of a methodology that combines pneumatic fracturing, vacuum extraction, and plasma blasting (the PPV method) to improve the limitations facing existing underground remediation methods. For comparison, underground remediation was performed over 80 days using the experimental PPV method and chemical oxidation (the control method). The control group showed no decrease in the degree of contamination due to the poor delivery of the soil remediation agent, whereas the PPV method clearly reduced the degree of contamination during the remediation period. Remediation effect, as assessed by the reduction of the highest TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons) concentration by distance from the injection well, was uncleared in the control group, whereas the PPV method showed a remediation effect of 62.6% within a 1 m radius of the injection well radius, 90.1% within 1.1~2.0 m, and 92.1% within 2.1~3.0 m. When evaluating the remediation efficiency by considering the average rate of TPH concentration reduction by distance from the injection well, the control group was not clear; in contrast, the PPV method showed 53.6% remediation effect within 1 m of the injection well, 82.4% within 1.1~2.0 m, and 68.7% within 2.1~3.0 m. Both ways of considering purification efficiency (based on changes in TPH maximum and average contamination concentration) found the PPV method to increase the remediation effect by 149.0~184.8% compared with the control group; its average increase in remediation effect was ~167%. The time taken to reduce contamination by 80% of the initial concentration was evaluated by deriving a correlation equation through analysis of the TPH concentration: the PPV method could reduce the purification time by 184.4% compared with chemical oxidation. However, the present evaluation of a single site cannot be equally applied to all strata, so additional research is necessary to explore more clearly the proposed method's effect.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.371-388
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• 2023

A stratum with a complex composition and a distributed low-permeability soil layer is difficult to remediate quickly because the soil remediation does not proceed easily. For efficient purification, the permeability should be improved and the soil remediation agent (H₂O₂) should be injected into the contaminated section to make sufficient contact with the TPH (Total petroleum hydrocarbons). This study analyzed a method for crack formation and effective delivery of the soil remediation agent based on pneumatic fracturing, plasma blasting, and vacuum suction (the PPV method) and compared its improvement effect relative to chemical oxidation. A demonstration test confirmed the effective delivery of the soil remediation agent to a site contaminated with TPH. The injection amount and injection time were monitored to calculate the delivery characteristics and the range of influence, and electrical resistivity surveying qualitatively confirmed changes in the underground environment. Permeability tests also evaluated and compared the permeability changes for each method. The amount of soil remediation agent injected was increased by about 4.74 to 7.48 times in the experimental group (PPV method) compared with the control group (chemical oxidation); the PPV method allowed injection rates per unit time (L/min) about 5.00 to 7.54 times quicker than the control method. Electrical resistivity measurements assessed that in the PPV method, the diffusion of H₂O₂2 and other fluids to the surface soil layer reduced the low resistivity change ratio: the horizontal change ratio between the injection well and the extraction well decreased the resistivity by about 1.12 to 2.38 times. Quantitative evaluation of hydraulic conductivity at the end of the test found that the control group had 21.1% of the original hydraulic conductivity and the experimental group retained 81.3% of the initial value, close to the initial permeability coefficient. Calculated radii of influence based on the survey results showed that the results of the PPV method were improved by 220% on average compared with those of the control group.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2007

The present study compared the microbial diversity and activity during the application of various bioremediation processes to crude oil-contaminated soil. Five different treatments, including natural attenuation (NA), biostimulation (BS), biosurfactant addition (BE), bioaugmentation (BA), and a combined treatment (CT) of biostimulation, biosurfactant addition, and bioaugmentation, were used to analyze the degradation rate and microbial communities. After 120 days, the level of remaining hydrocarbons after all the treatments was similar, however, the highest rate (k) of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) degradation was observed with the CT treatment (P<0.05). The total bacterial counts increased during the first 2 weeks with all the treatments, and then remained stable. The bacterial communities and alkane monooxygenase gene fragment, alkB, were compared by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The DGGE analyses of the BA and CT treatments, which included Nocardia sp. H17-1, revealed a simple dominant population structure, compared with the other treatments. The Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H') and Simpson dominance index (D), calculated from the DGGE profiles using 16S rDNA, showed considerable qualitative differences in the community structure before and after the bioremediation treatment as well as between treatment conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.164-178
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• 2009

This study was aimed to make GIS oiling thematic maps and analyze temporal oiling variation patterns for two months after 'Hebei Spirit' oil spill accident in December 7, 2007 using GIS and oiling status surveyed data. As a basic work for making of oiling thematic maps, geometric corrections were performed with IKONOS images using ground control points data. These corrected images were used to make detailed coastline from digital charts, and then spatial unit of coastline were defined using classified coastline types. And to know the representative parameters which reflect oiling situation, relationship between oiling status parameters extracted from four times oiling assessment reports and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) data (December 2007 and January 2008) monitored by Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI). Using these representative oiling status parameters pollution value were calculated, and they were keyed into spatial unit of coastline as attributive value. GIS oiling status thematic maps made with coastline containing pollution value showed the initial two month's situations somewhat well. Also, to analyze temporal variation pattern of coastline types, about 13.4km length coastline around Malripo beach was defined as detailed study area where is the common spatial zone surveyed oiling status by each organizations. Based on this study results, it could be possible to provide oiling status maps quickly and to support decision making for oiling control action and scientific pollution monitoring.