LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE RTDF/PERF PHYTOREMEDIATION FIELD TRIALS The TPH Subgroup. Peter Kulakow Kansas State University

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1 LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE RTDF/PERF PHYTOREMEDIATION FIELD TRIALS The TPH Subgroup Peter Kulakow Kansas State University

2 RTDF/Cooperators USEPA PERF Petroleum Environmental Research Forum Environment Canada Midwest HSRC Great Plains/Rocky Mountain HSRC ChevronTexaco University of Cincinnati U.S. Army-CRREL Syracuse University Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Gas Research Institute The Retec Group U.S. Army, Fort Riley, Kansas Kansas State University South Dakota State University Atlantic Richfield Company, BP Corporation University of Arkansas Purdue University University of Saskatchewan ICF Consulting Navel Facilities Engineering Service Center Lockheed/Martin Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

3 Goal Is vegetation useful for enhancing degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in surface soil? Do we observe statistically significant reductions in petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations during a three year period comparing treatments with vegetation plus fertilizer with a control of no vegetation and no fertilizer?

4 Thirteen RTDF Field Site Locations

5 Types of RTDF Field Sites 3 Closed Refineries 2 Former Manufactured Gas Plants 3 Production Sites 5 Refined Product Sites 5 Sites in Cold Regions

6 Standardized Protocol Common experimental design and statistical analysis Treatments with site specific adjustments Standard grass/legume mixture Local-optimized treatment Unvegetated/unfertilized Control Sampling Plan for soil and vegetation Many TPH and PAH parameters analyzed, usually by the same laboratory

7 RTDF Lesson s Learned 1. Plants grew well on most of the petroleum impacted soils.

8 Site F Manufactured Gas Plant Willow/Poplar Mix Natural Revegetation Standard Mix

9 Site H Closed Distribution Facility Rhode Island October 22

10 Site I Closed Refinery Illinois October 21 May 22

11 Site K Manufactured Gas Plant, Indiana

12 RTDF Lesson s Learned 2. It is crucial to characterize the source of the petroleum and the degree of weathering that has occurred prior to initiating phytoremediation. -Field sites with less prior biodegradation and aging of petroleum hydrocarbons showed the best results.

13 April 1999 Site A Refinery Site PERF Three Complete Growing Seasons June 2 May 21

14 counts 4 3 Site A RTDF Mixture Treatment Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons EPA method 815 FID1 A, (DEMO\SITEAR~1\T\DEPTHA\S\ D) Rep 2, Depth - 15 cm Time 29 mg/kg 2 1 counts counts FID2 B, (DEMO\SITEAR~1\T1\DEPTHA\S\ D) 6 months 41 mg/kg FID2 B, (DEMO\SITEAR~1\T2\DEPTHA\S\91137.D) 18 months 3 mg/kg min min min No Graph - 3 months 18 mg/kg

15 RTDF Trial Site A -- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons -- to 15 cm Concentration (mg/kg) Months 18 3 Native, Fert Standard, Fert Unvegetated, No Fert

16 Site G Kansas Motor Vehicle Waste Lagoon Sediments

17 counts Site G Switchgrass Treatment Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons EPA method 815 FID1 A, (DEMO\SITEGF~1\T\DEPTHB\N\ D) Rep 1, Depth cm FID2 B, (DEMO\SITEGF~1\T1\DEPTHB\N\13125.D) counts FID2 B, (DEMO\SITEGF~1\T2\DEPTHB\N\ D) counts FID1 A, (DEMO\SITEGF~1\T3\DEPTHB\N\ D) counts Reduction in light fractions Time 11 mg/kg 12 months 43 mg/kg 24 months 45 mg/kg 36 months 22 mg/kg min min min min

18 RTDF Trial Site G -- Total Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons -- to 15 cm 3 25 Concentration (mg/kg) Months Native, Fert Standard, Fert Unvegetated, No Fert

19 RTDF Trial Site G -- Total Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons to 45 cm 3 25 Concentration (mg/kg) Months Native, Fert Standard, Fert Unvegetated, No Fert

20 Site J Production Site Arkansas

21 Site J - GC Chromatograms standard treatment plot, -15 cm, T-T2 alternative sampling procedure soil socks counts FID1 A, (DEMO\SITEJU~1\T\J2\S\8324.D) FID1 A, (DEMO\SITEJU~1\T1\J2\S\62514.D) counts FID2 B, (DEMO\SITEJU~1\T2\J2\S\ D) counts min min min

22 RTDF Trial Site J -- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons cm composite RTDF sample method Concentration (mg/kg) Months Burmudagrass, Fert Unvegetated, No Fert Standard, Fert

23 14 RTDF Trial Site J -- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons cm buried samples method 12 Concentration (mg/kg) Months Burmudagrass, Fert Unvegetated, No Fert Standard, Fert

24 RTDF Lesson s Learned 3. Phytoremediation may compare favorably to other bioremediation treatment systems in terms of cost and management requirements when the petroleum source is fresh or unweathered.

25 RTDF Lesson s Learned 4. Soil characteristics are important for plant growth and phytoremediation potential. - soil texture - organic matter - salinity -ph - nutrients - water management

26 RTDF Lesson s Learned 5. In most cases, it is sufficient to monitor a few target hydrocarbon parameters for monitoring of phytoremediation applications. > 1 parameters estimated

27 TPH by Percentage Change from Initial to Final 2 15 Percentage 1 5 A-A A-B B-A B-B F-A F-B G-A G-B H-A H-B I-A I-B J-A -5-1 Location - Depth Code Unvegetated Standard Grass/Legume Mix Local Treatment

28 Total PAHs - Percentage Change from Initial to Final Percentage 5 A-A A-B B-A B-B F-A F-B G-A G-B H-A H-B I-A I-B J-A -5-1 Location Code and Depth Unvegegtated Standard Grass/Legume Mix Local Treatment

29 RTDF Lesson s Learned 6. If cost savings are needed, a long treatment time is acceptable, and risk can be effectively managed using vegetation, then phytoremediation may be a suitable technology to consider at a site.