Risk Assessment and Remediation Options for Oil-Contaminated Soil and Groundwater: A Comparative Analysis of Chemical, Physical, And Biological Treatment Methods

Abstract

Oil contamination of soil and groundwater poses significant environmental and health risks, prompting this study to evaluate the effectiveness, costs, and environmental impacts of various treatment methods. A comprehensive review of 50 case studies and research papers reveals that biological treatment methods, specifically biodegradation and phytoremediation, achieve the highest contaminant removal rates (85-95%) at lower costs ($50-100/m³), outperforming chemical oxidation and solvent extraction (60-80%, $100-500/m³) and physical methods (40-70%, high energy consumption). Furthermore, risk assessment indicates biological methods pose the lowest environmental risks, while chemical methods pose the highest. Sensitivity analysis underscores the importance of site-specific conditions and contaminant levels. Overall, the results suggest biological treatment methods, particularly biodegradation, as the most effective and cost-efficient option for oil-contaminated soil and groundwater remediation.