Study of the Potential for Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons within Smear Zone Soils

Abstract

A bench-scale study was completed to assess the potential for the bioremediation of smear zone soils at a leaking underground storage tank site in Fort Drum, N.Y. The study demonstrated that the vertical distribution of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) within the smear zone corresponded to differences in microbial biomass and activity. The soil core featured the lowest TPH and highest biomass levels at the top of the smear zone, and the highest TPH and median biomass levels at the bottom of the smear zone. Phospholipid fatty acid biomarkers indicate that gram-positive bacteria and fungi were associated with the in situ TPH biodegradation. The microcosm study shows that microbial respiration at the top of the smear zone was much stronger than that at the bottom of the smear zone. At the top of the smear zone, microbial mineralization was faster under the saturated condition, whereas at the bottom of the smear zone, microbial mineralization was faster under the unsaturated condition. The column study shows that the biodegradation rates of bioventing and biosparging for the specific site did not differ substantially.