Bio-polymer in the Treatment of Oil-Soil Contaminated with Heavy Elements

Abstract

This research investigates the role of a bio-polymer in treating soils polluted with petroleum and heavy metals. Soil samples were taken from two sites contaminated with lead, zinc, and cadmium. To evaluate the polymer’s efficiency, three doses—10, 14, and 18 grams—were applied. Results showed a clear reduction in heavy metal levels as polymer amounts increased. For zinc (Zn), Site 1 had about 25 mg/kg before treatment, which dropped to around 11 mg/kg with 10 g, 4–5 mg/kg with 14 g, and 3.2 mg/kg with 18 g. Site 2 started at 22–24 mg/kg and fell to about 12 mg/kg at 10 g, 5–6 mg/kg at 14 g, and around 3–4.5 mg/kg at 18 g. Cadmium (Cd) at Site 1 decreased from about 0.04 mg/kg untreated to 0.02 mg/kg at 10 g, near 0.01 mg/kg at 14 g, and down to 0.001 mg/kg at 18 g. Site 2 Cd dropped from about 0.02 mg/kg to 0.015 mg/kg at 10 g, close to 0.01 mg/kg at 14 g, and as low as 0.001 mg/kg at 18 g. Lead (Pb) in Site 1 declined from 21–25 mg/kg untreated to 15–19 mg/kg at 10 g, 8–10 mg/kg at 14 g, and 2–5 mg/kg at 18 g. In Site 2, Pb levels reduced from 30–40 mg/kg to about 22–25 mg/kg at 10 g, 15–20 mg/kg at 14 g, and around 8–13 mg/kg at 18 g. Overall, the findings confirm that increasing polymer dosages significantly lowers Zn, Cd, and Pb in contaminated soils, demonstrating the bio-polymer’s strong potential for soil remediation.