The Effects of Natural Tropical Dry Season Conditions on the Rate of Bioremediation on Crude Oil Contaminated Soil

Abstract

Treatment of oil contaminated soils is necessary to protect water supplies, human health and environmental quality. Bioremediation has proven to be one of the most cost effective treatment technologies for petroleum contaminated soils. But the success of biodegradation on the oil pollutants in soil depends on numerous environmental parameters and operational factors, all of which need to be optimized in order to achieve maximum contaminant treatment. This study shows bioremediation under the hot dry conditions of Trinidad and Tobago using heavy oil contaminants. The results will be beneficial to the petroleum industry because of the presence of heavy oil regions in the Southern basin area of Trinidad and the results being based on a two season type climate as opposed four season climate data.