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Biodegradation of oil tank bottom sludge using a new two-phase composting process: kinetics and effect of different bulking agents

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Abstract

In this study, the effect of adding various bulking agents on the performance of a two-phase composting method in bioremediation of petroleum compounds from oily sludge was surveyed. The utilized system included the primary stage composting (PSC) using 6 windrow piles and the secondary stage composting (SSC) using 6 in-vessel bioreactors. Various amounts and combinations of immature compost, mature compost, and green waste were blended with oil tank bottom sludge (OTBS). Then, the mixture was added to the PSC and SSC experiments and composted for a period of 12 and 6 weeks, respectively. The results showed that the degradation percentages of total petroleum hydrocarbons in the PSC and SSC experiments were 63.56–84.50% and 57.59–88.95%, respectively. The removal efficiency reached through the two-phase system was higher than that of the single-stage process. Biodegradation was fitted to the first- and second-order kinetic with the rate constants of 0.076–0.389 day−1 and 0.006–0.176 g kg−1 day−1, respectively. The bacteria identified from the composting mixtures were Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Staphylococcus sp., and Klebsiella sp. It was concluded that the two-stage composting system, as an inexpensive and efficient method, is practically applicable for remediation of OTBS.

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Abbreviations

FID:

Flame ionization detector

GC:

Gas chromatograph

GW:

Green waste

IC:

Immature compost

MC:

Mature compost

OC:

Organic carbon

OTBS:

Oil tank bottom sludge

PSC:

Primary stage composting

SSC:

Secondary stage composting

TPH:

Total petroleum hydrocarbons

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Arak University of Medical Sciences (Grant no. 1091 and 731). The authors would like to express their gratitude to the financial support from Arak University of Medical Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, P.O. Box 3818146851, Iran

    Ali Koolivand & Mohammad Sadegh Rajaei

  2. Molecular and Medicine Research Center, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran

    Hamid Abtahi & Maryam Parhamfar

  3. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran

    Kazem Godini

  4. Department of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Reza Saeedi

  5. Workplace Health Promotion Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Reza Saeedi

  6. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, West Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

    Hamed seifi

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  1. Ali Koolivand
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  2. Hamid Abtahi
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  3. Kazem Godini
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Correspondence to Ali Koolivand.

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Koolivand, A., Abtahi, H., Godini, K. et al. Biodegradation of oil tank bottom sludge using a new two-phase composting process: kinetics and effect of different bulking agents. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 21, 1280–1290 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-019-00881-x

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