Abstract

VASQUEZ, María Cristina; GUERRERO FIGUEROA, Jennifer Thibisay  and  QUINTERO, Andrea del Pilar. Bioremediation of sludge contaminated with used lubricants. Rev. colomb. biotecnol [online]. 2010, vol.12, n.1, pp.141-157. ISSN 0123-3475.

Sludge contaminated with used lubricating oil waste produces a large negative environmental impact by not being handled properly. Bioremediation was thus suggested for reducing the concentration of such pollutants. The trials were conducted at the Río Frío waste water treatment plant (WWTP) in Girón, Santander, Colombia. Native microbial associations were evaluated and subsequently added to biopiles made up of dried sludge from waste water treatment (organic matter source) sludge from washing cars and sewage sludge from the industrial area of Bucaramanga in Colombia. Several pilot tests were completed and several microbial strains, such as Pseudomonas spp., Escherichia coli, Citrobacter spp., Bacillus brevis, Micrococcus spp., were identified and isolated as they retained their ability to degrade total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH). Each pilot assembly was inoculated with a 3x10⁸ UFC/ml bacterial concentration and fungal microorganisms such as Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp. and Trichoderma spp. at 1x10⁶ spore/ml concentration. Parameters such as temperature, pH, humidity and oxygenation were monitored frequently. Two trials were completed to verify treatment patterns and results; TPH concentration was analysed continuously using a linear mixed model approach in randomised complete blocks. This revealed significant differences between control biopile (without microorganism consortia) and the biopiles being tested here, 94% TPH removal being obtained in 120 days and 84% TPH in 40 days. This reflected the positive effect of using a consortium of microorganisms when testing the decontamination of domestic sewage sludge, industrial sludge and car wash sludge.

Keywords : Bioremediation; biopile; used lubricating oil; total petroleum hydrocarbons; native microorganism.

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