Effect of introduction of clays, mineral fertilizers, and soil ameliorants on decomposition of organic pollutants in oil-polluted sand under conditions of model experiment

Abstract

The results of a model laboratory experiment in which the acidic oil-polluted sand was incubated for three months in the presence of palygorskite or bentonite clays supplemented with mineral fertilizers and lime under conditions of periodic wetting and drying are presented. A reliable decrease in the total content of nonpolar and weakly polar CCl₄ extractable organic compounds and of the weakly polar compounds was established. The content of the nonpolar fraction, the amount of C₁₄–C₃₆ alkanes in its composition, and the (C₁₇ + C₁₈)/(C_i–15 + C_i–16) ratio, which was indicative of microbiological destruction of hydrocarbons, decreased significantly in the experiment with the palygorskite clay.