Evaluation of Petroleum Contamination Effects on Soil Water Repellency Intensity in Bakhtiardasht of Isfahan

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

The presence of oil contaminations in soil may be poisonous for human and other living organisms and can also pollute underground water. Petroleum hydrocarbons are one of the most common organic pollutant groups in environment which cause concern because of their ability in environmental degradation. Thus, it is very important to reclaim such polluted areas. This study was performed in Bakhtiardasht area (Isfahan Province) to determine distribution and intensity of oil contamination caused by the disposal of oil refinery waste in soil and their influence on soil water repellency using geostatistical methods. One hundred samples were taken from 100 nodes of a network pattern with 100 meters spacing. Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), soil water repellency, and some other factors of soil were measured as test variables. Based on the results, the variables followed the spherical semivariogram model and had the medium spatial structure. The TPH concentrations were higher than the international permissible limit (0.1 percent) in most parts of the soil. The variability and spatial distribution of soil water repellency were mostly related to TPH. The surfaces of soil particles were covered by TPH and this caused an increase in water repellency. Most of the soils were in the groups of relatively water repellent (5 to 60 s) to extremely water repellent (< 3600 s) because of different concentrations of oil pollutants in soil. This may lower infiltration rate and can cause a decrease in soil moisture content and, consequently, increase in runoff and  limitation of soil water for plant growth.

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Iranian Journal of Soil Research
Volume 29, Issue 3 - Serial Number 3
December 2015
Pages 359-369

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