TECHNICAL NOTE: NITROGEN FERTILIZATION EFFECTS ON THE DEGRADATION OF AGED DIESEL OIL IN COMPOSTED DRILLING WASTES |
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Authors: | Woo-Jung Choi Scott X Chang |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Biosystems &2. Agricultural Engineering , Institute of Agricultural Science &3. Technology, Chonnam National University , Gwangju , Korea;4. Department of Renewable Resources , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta , Canada |
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Abstract: | Hydrocarbon-contaminated wastes generated from oil and gas drilling activities may be used as a soil amendment once composted and further decomposition of residual hydrocarbons can be accomplished after the composts are applied to soils. To test if N fertilization may enhance hydrocarbon decomposition, we investigated the effects of N application on hydrocarbon degradation in different-aged composts (1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old composts, coded as 1Y, 2Y, 3Y, and 4Y composts, respectively) through a pot experiment planted with white spruce (Picea glauca Moench] Voss) seedlings. The percentage degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH, C11 to C40) in the composts without N fertilization was correlated to initial NH4 + concentrations (R = 0.99, P < 0.001). The percentage degradation of TPH was highest in the 3Y compost (41.1%) that had an initial level of 325.3 mg NH4 +-N kg?1 and the lowest in the 1Y compost (9.3%) that had an initial level of 8.3 mg NH4 +-N kg?1. The degradation of TPH was enhanced by N fertilization in the 1Y (from 9.3 to 15.3%) and 4Y composts (from 14.3 to 22.6%) that had low initial NH4 + concentrations. Our results show that application of NH4 +-based fertilizers may enhance the degradation of TPH when initial NH4 + concentrations in the compost are low. |
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Keywords: | biodegradation compost age nitrogen concentration phytoremediation total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) |
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