Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of soil and hydrocarbon properties on the solvent extraction of high-concentration weathered petroleum from contaminated soils

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Petroleum ether was used to extract petroleum hydrocarbons from soils collected from six oil fields with different history of exploratory and contamination. It was capable of fast removing 76–94 % of the total petroleum hydrocarbons including 25 alkanes (C11–C35) and 16 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soils at room temperature. The partial least squares analysis indicated that the solvent extraction efficiencies were positively correlated with soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, moisture, pH, and sand content of soils, while negative effects were observed in the properties reflecting the molecular size (e.g., molecular weight and number of carbon atoms) and hydrophobicity (e.g., water solubility, octanol–water partition coefficient, soil organic carbon partition coefficient) of hydrocarbons. The high concentration of weathered crude oil at the order of 105 mg kg−1 in this study was demonstrated adverse for solvent extraction by providing an obvious nonaqueous phase liquid phase for hydrocarbon sinking and increasing the sequestration of soluble hydrocarbons in the insoluble oil fractions during weathering. A full picture of the mass distribution and transport mechanism of petroleum contaminants in soils will ultimately require a variety of studies to gain insights into the dynamic interactions between environmental indicator hydrocarbons and their host oil matrix.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahn CK, Kim YM, Woo SH, Park JM (2008) Soil washing using various nonionic surfactants and their recovery by selective adsorption with activated carbon. J Hazard Mater 154:153–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alexander M (1995) How toxic are toxic chemicals in soil? Environ Sci Technol 29:2713–2717

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alexander M (2000) Aging, bioavailability, and overestimation of risk from environmental pollutants. Environ Sci Technol 34:4259–4265

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Avila-Chavez MA, Trejo A (2010) Remediation of soils contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: extraction with supercritical ethane. Ind Eng Chem Res 49:3342–3348

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bauder T, Barbarick K, Ippolito J, Shanahan J, Ayers P (2005) Soil properties affecting wheat yields following drilling-fluid application. J Environ Qual 34:1687–1696

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd SA, Sun S (1990) Residual petroleum and polychlorobiphenyl oils as sorptive phases for organic contaminants in soils. Environ Sci Technol 24:142–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brassington KJ, Hough RL, Paton GI, Semple KT, Risdon GC, Crossley J, Hay I, Askari K, Pollard SJT (2007) Weathered hydrocarbon wastes: a risk management primer. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 37:199–232

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brassington K, Pollard S, Coulon F (2010) Handbook of hydrocarbon and lipid microbiology, Weathered hydrocarbon biotransformation: implications for bioremediation, analysis, and risk assessment. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 2487–2499

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Brohon B, Delolme C, Gourdon R (2001) Complementarity of bioassays and microbial activity measurements for the evaluation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils quality. Soil Biol Biochem 33:883–891

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coulon F, Whelan MJ, Paton GI, Semple KT, Villa R, Pollard SJT (2010) Multimedia fate of petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil: oil matrix of constructed biopiles. Chemosphere 81:1454–1462

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feng X, Simpson AJ, Simpson MJ (2006) Investigating the role of mineral-bound humic acid in phenanthrene sorption. Environ Sci Technol 40:3260–3266

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flores-Céspedes F, Fernández-Pérez M, Villafranca-Sánchez M, González-Pradas E (2006) Cosorption study of organic pollutants and dissolved organic matter in a soil. Environ Pollut 142:449–456

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman HM, Harris EF (1995) Hazardous waste remediation: innovative treatment technologies. CRC, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Gong Z, Wilke BM, Alef K, Li P (2005) Influence of soil moisture on sunflower oil extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from a manufactured gas plant soil. Sci Total Environ 343:51–59

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han M, Ji GD, Ni JR (2009) Washing of field weathered crude oil contaminated soil with an environmentally compatible surfactant, alkyl polyglucoside. Chemosphere 76:579–586

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • He L, Li X, Wu G, Lin F, Sui H (2013) Distribution of saturates, aromatics, resins and asphaltenes fractions in the bituminous layer of Athabasca oil sands. Energ Fuel 27:4677–4683

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • ISO (2010) BS ISO 11277:2009: Determination of particle size distribution in mineral soil material—method by sieving and sedimentation

  • Ji G, Zhou G (2007) Remediation of soil contaminated with oil pollutants by ex-situ chemical washing. Acta Sci Nat—Univ Pekin (Chin) 43:863–871

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jonsson S, Persson Y, Frankki S, van Bavel B, Lundstedt S, Haglund P, Tysklind M (2007) Degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in contaminated soils by Fenton’s reagent: a multivariate evaluation of the importance of soil characteristics and PAH properties. J Hazard Mater 149:86–96

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jonsson S, Lind H, Lundstedt S, Haglund P, Tysklind M (2010) Dioxin removal from contaminated soils by ethanol washing. J Hazard Mater 179:393–399

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khodadoust AP, Reddy KR, Maturi K (2005) Effect of different extraction agents on metal and organic contaminant removal from a field soil. J Hazard Mater 117:15–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Latawiec AE, Reid BJ (2010) Sequential extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using subcritical water. Chemosphere 78:1042–1048

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lau EV, Gan S, Ng HK, Poh PE (2014) Extraction agents for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from soil in soil washing technologies. Environ Pollut 184:640–649

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Du Y, Wu G, Li Z, Li H, Sui H (2012a) Solvent extraction for heavy crude oil removal from contaminated soils. Chemosphere 88:245–249

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, He L, Wu G, Sun W, Li H, Sui H (2012b) Operational parameters, evaluation methods, and fundamental mechanisms: aspects of nonaqueous extraction of bitumen from oil sands. Energ Fuel 26:3553–3563

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lian J, Shi S, Guo M, Li X (2009) Influence of soil properties on the solvent extraction of oil from contaminated soil using n-hexane. Chem Ind Eng Process (Chin) 28:530–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackay D (2001) Multimedia environmental models: the fugacity approach. Lewis, Chelsea

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mackay D, Shiu WY, Ma KC (1997) Illustrated handbook of physical-chemical properties and environmental fate for organic chemicals: pesticide chemicals, 5. CRC, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Masakorala K, Yao J, Chandankere R, Liu H, Liu W, Cai M, Choi MM (2013) A combined approach of physicochemical and biological methods for the characterization of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. Environ Sci Pollut Res. doi:10.1007/s11356-013-1923-3

    Google Scholar 

  • Montoneri E, Boffa V, Savarino P, Tambone F, Adani F, Micheletti L, Gianotti C, Chiono R (2009) Use of biosurfactants from urban wastes compost in textile dyeing and soil remediation. Waste Manage 29:383–389

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Navarro-Villoslada F, Vicente BS, Moreno-Bondi MC (2004) Application of multivariate analysis to the screening of molecularly imprinted polymers for bisphenol A. Anal Chim Acta 504:149–162

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson S, Farmer W, Letey J, Williams C (2000) Stability and mobility of napropamide complexed with dissolved organic matter in soil columns. J Environ Qual 29:1856–1862

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Niederer C, Schwarzenbach RP, Goss K-U (2007) Elucidating differences in the sorption properties of 10 humic and fulvic acids for polar and nonpolar organic chemicals. Environ Sci Technol 41:6711–6717

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Painter P, Williams P, Lupinsky A (2010) Recovery of bitumen from Utah tar sands using ionic liquids. Energ Fuel 24:5081–5088

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pelley AJ, Tufenkji N (2008) Effect of particle size and natural organic matter on the migration of nano- and microscale latex particles in saturated porous media. J Colloid Interface Sci 321:74–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pignatello JJ, Xing B (1996) Mechanisms of slow sorption of organic chemicals to natural particles. Environ Sci Technol 30:1–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pollard SJT, Hough RL, Kim KH, Bellarby J, Paton G, Semple KT, Coulon F (2008) Fugacity modelling to predict the distribution of organic contaminants in the soil: oil matrix of constructed biopiles. Chemosphere 71:1432–1439

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Quagliotto P, Montoneri E, Tambone F, Adani F, Gobetto R, Viscardi G (2006) Chemicals from wastes: compost-derived humic acid-like matter as surfactant. Environ Sci Technol 40:1686–1692

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reid BJ, Jones KC, Semple KT (2000) Bioavailability of persistent organic pollutants in soils and sediments—a perspective on mechanisms, consequences and assessment. Environ Pollut 108:103–112

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Risdon GC, Pollard SJT, Brassington KJ, McEwan JN, Paton GI, Semple KT, Coulon F (2008) Development of an analytical procedure for weathered hydrocarbon contaminated soils within a UK risk-based framework. Anal Chem 80:7090–7096

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saterbak A, Toy RJ, Wong DC, McMain BJ, Williams MP, Dorn PB, Brzuzy LP, Chai EY, Salanitro JP (1999) Ecotoxicological and analytical assessment of hydrocarbon‐contaminated soils and application to ecological risk assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 18:1591–1607

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Semple KT, Reid BJ, Fermor TR (2001) Impact of composting strategies on the treatment of soils contaminated with organic pollutants. Environ Pollut 112:269–283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shu YY, Lai TL (2001) Effect of moisture on the extraction efficiency of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soils under atmospheric pressure by focused microwave-assisted extraction. J Chromatogr A 927:131–141

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Silva A, Delerue-Matos C, Fiuza A (2005) Use of solvent extraction to remediate soils contaminated with hydrocarbons. J Hazard Mater 124:224–229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sun S, Boyd SA (1991) Sorption of polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) congeners by residual PCB-oil phases in soils. J Environ Qual 20:557–561

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sun K, Jin J, Kang M, Zhang Z, Pan Z, Wang Z, Wu F, Xing B (2013) Isolation and characterization of different organic matter fractions from a same soil source and their phenanthrene sorption. Environ Sci Technol 47:5138–5145

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thibaud C, Erkey C, Akgerman A (1993) Investigation of the effect of moisture on the sorption and desorption of chlorobenzene and toluene from soil. Environ Sci Technol 27:2373–2380

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • TPHCWG (1999) Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon Criteria Working Group Series Volume 5: Human health risk-based evaluation of petroleum release sites: implementing the working group approach. Amherst Scientific, Amherst

    Google Scholar 

  • Valsecchi G, Gigliotti C, Farini A (1995) Microbial biomass, activity, and organic matter accumulation in soils contaminated with heavy metals. Biol Fertil Soils 20:253–259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Viglianti C, Hanna K, De Brauer C, Germain P (2006) Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aged-contaminated soil using cyclodextrins: experimental study. Environ Pollut 140:427–435

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vinzi VE (2010) Handbook of partial least squares: concepts, methods and applications. Springer, Heidelberg

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wehrer M, Totsche KU (2009) Difference in PAH release processes from tar-oil contaminated soil materials with similar contamination history. Chem Erde-Geochem 69:109–124

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wen B, Zhang J, Zhang S, Shan X, Khan SU, Xing B (2007) Phenanthrene sorption to soil humic acid and different humin fractions. Environ Sci Technol 41:3165–3171

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu G (2012) Insights into sustainable environmental remediation approaches and the fate and transport of petroleum hydrocarbons in soils. Dissertation, Tianjin University

  • Wu G, Li X, Coulon F, Li H, Lian J, Sui H (2011) Recycling of solvent used in a solvent extraction of petroleum hydrocarbons contaminated soil. J Hazard Mater 186:533–539

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu G, Coulon F, Yang Y, Li H, Sui H (2013a) Combining solvent extraction and bioremediation for removing weathered petroleum from contaminated soil. Pedosphere 23:455–463

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu G, He L, Chen D (2013b) Sorption and distribution of asphaltene, resin, aromatic and saturate fractions of heavy crude oil on quartz surface: molecular dynamic simulation. Chemosphere 92:1465–1471

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu G, Kechavarzi C, Li X, Sui H, Pollard SJT, Coulon F (2013c) Influence of mature compost amendment on total and bioavailable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in contaminated soils. Chemosphere 90:2240–2246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Y, Tao S, Zhang N, Zhang DY, Li XQ (2010a) The effect of soil organic matter on fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil: a microcosm study. Environ Pollut 158:1768–1774

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Y, Zhang N, Xue M, Tao S (2010b) Impact of soil organic matter on the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils. Environ Pollut 158:2170–2174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zemanek MG, Pollard SJT, Kenefick SL, Hrudey SE (1997) Multi-phase partitioning and co-solvent effects for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in authentic petroleum- and creosote-contaminated soils. Environ Pollut 98:239–252

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21307069, No. 21306129 and No. 41201497), Municipal Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin (No. 12JCQNJC05300), Guangdong Natural Science Foundation (No. S2013040012413), and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2013M530641).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Hong Sui, Zhengtao Hua, Xingang Li & Hong Li

  2. Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Hong Sui, Xingang Li & Hong Li

  3. National Engineering Research Center for Distillation Technology, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Hong Sui, Xingang Li & Hong Li

  4. Division of Ocean Science and Technology, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China

    Guozhong Wu

Authors
  1. Hong Sui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhengtao Hua
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xingang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Guozhong Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guozhong Wu.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Ester Heath

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOC 149 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sui, H., Hua, Z., Li, X. et al. Influence of soil and hydrocarbon properties on the solvent extraction of high-concentration weathered petroleum from contaminated soils. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 5774–5784 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-2511-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-2511-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation