Respirometric Techniques in a Landfarming Study

• Type: Article in International Conference Proceedings Book
• Date: 2003

Authors

Maria José Padrão (Author) Other; António Fiúza (Author) FEUP

Conference proceedings International

Title: Proceedings of the Second European Bioremediation Conference

Pages: 99-102

Second European Bioremediation Conference

Chania, Grécia, 30 de Junho a 4 de Julho de 2003

Other information

Abstract (EN): ABSTRACT: The technology known as landfarming has been widely and successfully used for removing petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated soils. Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the bioremediation potential of a sandy soil contaminated with crude. The sample was collected from the local of occurrence of existing spillage. The microbial activity was stimulated through aeration and the addition of a solution enriched in nutrients. The soil was sampled weekly in order to determine the pH, the moisture, the bacterial population, the nutrients content and the contaminant concentration. One innovative step in our methodology was the performance of an uncommon respirometric test - the SOUR (Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate), as proposed by Lasaridi and Stentiford. The procedure makes use of a dissolved oxygen meter to measure the changes in the oxygen concentration of an aqueous soil suspension, at 30ºC. The alteration in the microbial respiration activity reflects the progress of the landfarming process. As the biodegradation occurs, less substrate is available to the microorganisms and this is reflected in their respiratory activity. The SOUR test revealed to be a simple, reliable and fast method to quantify indirectly the evolution of the biodegradation.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 4