A laboratory study on bioremediation of a diesel-contaminated fine-textured soil /

A laboratory study was conducted to bioremediate a fine textured soil contaminated with diesel. The local microorganisms were stimulated by supplying nutrients with the aid of a water table management system. A fine textured soil, contaminated for more than 20 years, with more than 6500 mg/kg of diesel was packed in fifteen columns, 2 m long and 0.2 m in diameter. Twelve out of fifteen soil columns were subjected to bioremediaton, by supplying nutrients, water and air at desired depths. Three columns were used as a control to monitor passive degradation of contaminant without intervention.The experiment was designed to employ three different treatments in triplicates. In the first treatment, nutrients, air and water were supplied. In the second, only nutrients and water were applied and in the third, water alone was applied. These treatments were applied by two different water table management strategies. In the first, three columns were remediated by following a full column remediation strategy, while in the second, nine columns were treated in a stagewise manner, by maintaining the water table at 1 m depth from surface. (Abstract shortened by UMI.