Biological Degradation of Crude Oil Refinery Sludge with Commercial Surfactant and Sewage Sludge by Co-Composting

This study determined the potential of surfactant and sewage sludge in enhancing degradation of oil sludge. A mixture of oil sludge, surfactant, and sewage sludge was co-composted for 24 weeks in the laboratory. Physical and chemical parameters in the compost were measured every four weeks. Isolated microorganisms were characterized by molecular techniques. The pH in all experiments remained between 8 and 6.4. CO₂ evolution reached 5503 µg/dwt/day by the twenty-fourth week. The dominant bacterial species were Acinectobacter, Rodococcus, mycobacterium, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Arthrobacter, and Staphylococcus species and fungi were Pleurotus, Penicillium, and Aspergillus sp. TPH was reduced by 92% in the sewage sludge and surfactant treatment, 75 and 81% in other treatments, and 44.2% in the control. PAH concentrations were reduced by between 75 and 100%. The results indicate that a careful application of surfactant and sewage sludge could enhance oil sludge degradation in a compost system.