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Water lily (Nymphaea sp.): an alternative organic amendment for treatment of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil by chemical–biological stabilization

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Abstract

The chemical–biological stabilization technology has been employed in several successful studies using sugarcane cachasse as the organic amendment. However, in some petroleum-producing areas, there are no sugar mills nearby (which is the source of this material), and the cost of transport to the contaminated site is prohibitive. Therefore, water lily, which is considered a weedy plant in many tropical and subtropical areas, was evaluated as an alternative. In 3-month experiment, water lily was compared (with and without addition of molasses) with cachasse for the treatment of clayey sediment contaminated with > 6% extra-heavy crude oil. All treatments resulted in a reduction in the hydrocarbon concentration of 15–23%, without significant differences (P > 0.05). During this process, the pH was reduced to the 7–7.5 range and water repellency (molarity ethanol drop) to 3.5–3.6 M. Also, field capacity increased to 36.3–38.5% humidity, establishing adequate conditions for the development of vegetation at this site. Likewise, toxicity was reduced to practically null (Vibrio fischeri bioassay), and hydrocarbons in leachates were reduced to 3.4–4.3 mg/l, conditions adequate for the protection of groundwater and human health in rural areas. This study confirms that water lily is an adequate substitute for the application of this treatment method for hydrocarbon-contaminated sites that are far from sugar production areas.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed by the Remediation Laboratory of the Academic Division of Biological Sciences (Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco) under internal Grant Number UJAT-LBR-2012-06. We are very grateful to Mr. Héctor López Guerrero and Mr. Juan Avila Gonzales (both previously from Pemex Gas y Petroquímica Básica) for their assistance with access to the Mining Unit to obtain material for treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. División Académica de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Carretera Villahermosa-Cárdenas Km. 0.5 S/N, Entronque a Bosques de Saloya, CP 86150, Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico

    V. I. Domínguez-Rodríguez, R. H. Adams-Schroeder, J. A. Goñi-Arévalo & I. López-Vidal

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  1. V. I. Domínguez-Rodríguez
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  2. R. H. Adams-Schroeder
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  3. J. A. Goñi-Arévalo
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  4. I. López-Vidal
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Correspondence to V. I. Domínguez-Rodríguez.

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Editorial responsibility: M. Abbaspour.

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Domínguez-Rodríguez, V.I., Adams-Schroeder, R.H., Goñi-Arévalo, J.A. et al. Water lily (Nymphaea sp.): an alternative organic amendment for treatment of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil by chemical–biological stabilization. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 15, 1851–1858 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1560-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1560-3

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