Presence of hydrocarbons in underground water sources and their ensuing impact on solubility of some substances

Presence of organic substances produced as by-products of synthesis is equal to that of naturally produced substances in industrialized countries. Global consumption of mineral oils alone is over 3 mln t per year. Pollution of soil and underground water sources by substances such as detergents, mineral oils, dyes, pesticides, etc., is chronic due to the daily use of these hydrocarbons. They are a peril to soil quality, drinking water quality and certainly to human beings because they are not appropriately discarded. Presence of these substances in water provokes chain of redox reactions (eg. nitrate to nitroso, Fe (+3) to Fe (+2), etc. or vice versa). Under these circumstances the effect on solubility and transport of some elements and their salts in soil stratum and water sources is evident. We think that the very soil, as well as drinking water, quality is deteriorated and indirectly also the flora and fauna living on that soil, as through the food chain, traces of hydrocarbons, their metabolized and some elements of by-products will affect also human beings. The paper indicates ultimate consequences of this pollution, the methods used for analysing the contaminants in the waters, and makes suggestions for protection and recovery of hydrocarbons in the soil stratum.\ud \ud &nbsp