Published in Scientific Papers. Series E. Land Reclamation, Earth Observation & Surveying, Environmental Engineering, Vol. XIV
Written by Cristian Mugurel IORGA, Lucian-Gabriel ZAMFIR, Alina Ceoromila CANTARAGIU
The restoration of sites contaminated by the petroleum industry aims to mitigate negative effects on the environment, and human health, and facilitate the reuse of significant land areas. In addition to reducing soil contaminant concentrations, another objective of restoration is the rehabilitation of the vegetation layer. The use of sewage sludge in decontamination processes can provide nutrients and microorganisms, potentially forming the basis for vegetation layer regeneration. However, the application of sewage sludge can also have negative environmental impacts due to high concentrations of heavy metals and the presence of various pathogenic microbiota. This study presents an experimental investigation into the potential use of sewage sludge for remediating petroleum-contaminated sites and regenerating the vegetation layer. Lawn grass was sown in the remediated soil treated with sewage sludge to study its development. Using combined SEM-EDX and electrochemical methods, we analysed the plant microstructure and the distribution of chemical elements to evaluate turf growth. The results obtained are promising and open new research perspectives for the use of sewage sludge in the remediation of sites contaminated by the oil industry.
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