Remediation of petroleum-contaminated Antarctic soil ...

• Main Author: Ferguson, Susan Harriet
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: University Of Tasmania 2023
• Subjects: Antarctic; Casey Station; East Antarctica; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/23232512.v1; https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/Remediation_of_petroleum-contaminated_Antarctic_soil/23232512/1

Remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in polar environments is more costly and logistically and technically more difficult than corresponding temperate and tropical contaminated sites. Bioremediation and in-situ chemical oxidation (ICO) are possible strategies which may overcome the financial and technical challenges associated with polar-region site remediation. ICO involves introducing reactive chemicals to contaminated soils so that organic contaminants such as petroleum hydrocarbons are oxidised to environmentally innocuous compounds, while bioremediation relies on microbial activity to achieve this. At Old Casey Station, East Antarctica (66°17'S, 110°32'E) more than 20 000 L of Special Antarctic Blend (SAB) diesel fuel was spilt over 15 years ago. Concentrations in the spill zone are still about 20 000 ppm and the rates of natural attenuation are relatively slow. The application of oxidative chemicals to the site did not significantly reduce petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations and would likely ...