Soil and groundwater contamination by oil spills; problems and remedies

Abstract

Large scale transport and storage of hydrocarbons constitute a threat to the soil ecosystems and to the ground‐water reserves. To clean‐up oil spilled on soils or polluting groundwaters, one has either to remove mechanically the soil impregnated with oil or to collect and remove by pumping the contaminated groundwater reserves. A third and ultimately more complete clean‐up method consists of the enhancement of the microbial degradation of the spilled oil. The problems and the possibilities of the latter method are reviewed. In a final part the biodegradative potential of the soil towards hydrocarbons and the kinetic models applicable to this potential, are discussed.