Use of Earthworms to Accelerate the Restoration of Oil and Brine Impacted Sites| Research Project Database | NCER | ORD

Use of Earthworms to Accelerate the Restoration of Oil and Brine Impacted Sites

EPA Grant Number: R830633C009
Subproject: this is subproject number 009 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R830633
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: IPEC University of Tulsa (TU)
Center Director: Sublette, Kerry L.
Title: Use of Earthworms to Accelerate the Restoration of Oil and Brine Impacted Sites
Investigators: Sublette, Kerry L.
Institution: University of Tulsa
EPA Project Officer: Krishnan, Bala S.
Project Period: May 1, 2003 through April 30, 2004
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Integrated Petroleum Environmental Consortium (IPEC) (1999)
Research Category: Targeted Research

Description:

Objective:

This project seeks to determine the efficacy of the re-introduction of earthworms to sites which have undergone remediation for crude oil or brine spills in order to accelerate the restoration of these sites in terms of soil quality and plant biomass and species diversity. Specifically we will examine the effects of three treatment variables: earthworms, organic matter, and fertilizer, on the restoration of the two sites referenced above. This will be a two-year project. In the first year measures of soil quality will be the primary indicators of restoration. These measures will include microbial community structure and diversity in terms of phospholipid fatty acid analysis, soil nutrient concentrations, numbers of nitrogen cycling bacteria, nematode numbers and trophic diversity, and earthworm numbers and reproductive status. After earthworms are introduced, no further disturbance of the test plots will be allowed except for sampling. Therefore, some re-vegetation of the plots may occur in the first year. If so, plant biomass and species diversity will be determined at the end of the first growing season. In the second year, plant biomass and species diversity will be added as measures of restoration. All data will be analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). These data are anticipated to lead to a cost-effective protocol for re-introduction and cultivation of earthworms in remediated oil and brine impacted sites and demonstrate the benefits of re-introduction on restoration and re- vegetation of these sites in terms of plant biomass and species diversity. The results of this work can be readily introduced to independent producers, landowners, and the regulatory community in an easily understood manner through IPEC's technology transfer program.

Progress and Final Reports:
Final Report

Main Center Abstract and Reports:
R830633 IPEC University of Tulsa (TU)

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R827015C001 Evaluation of Road Base Material Derived from Tank Bottom Sludges
R827015C002 Passive Sampling Devices (PSDs) for Bioavailability Screening of Soils Containing Petrochemicals
R827015C003 Demonstration of a Subsurface Drainage System for the Remediation of Brine-Impacted Soil
R827015C004 Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of Whole Gasoline
R827015C005 Microflora Involved in Phytoremediation of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons
R827015C006 Microbial Treatment of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM)
R827015C007 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil
R827015C008 The Use of Nitrate for the Control of Sulfide Formation in Oklahoma Oil Fields
R827015C009 Surfactant-Enhanced Treatment of Oil-Contaminated Soils and Oil-Based Drill Cuttings
R827015C010 Novel Materials for Facile Separation of Petroleum Products from Aqueous Mixtures Via Magnetic Filtration
R827015C011 Development of Relevant Ecological Screening Criteria (RESC) for Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Exploration and Production Sites
R827015C012 Humate-Induced Remediation of Petroleum Contaminated Surface Soils
R827015C013 New Process for Plugging Abandoned Wells
R827015C014 Enhancement of Microbial Sulfate Reduction for the Remediation of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Aquifers - A Laboratory and Field Scale Demonstration
R827015C015 Locating Oil-Water Interfaces in Process Vessels
R827015C016 Remediation of Brine Spills with Hay
R827015C017 Continuation of an Investigation into the Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of Whole Gasoline
R827015C018 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil
R827015C019 Biodegradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Salt-Impacted Soil by Native Halophiles or Halotolerants and Strategies for Enhanced Degradation
R827015C020 Anaerobic Intrinsic Bioremediation of MTBE
R827015C021 Evaluation of Commercial, Microbial-Based Products to Treat Paraffin Deposition in Tank Bottoms and Oil Production Equipment
R827015C022 A Continuation: Humate-Induced Remediation of Petroleum Contaminated Surface Soils
R827015C023 Data for Design of Vapor Recovery Units for Crude Oil Stock Tank Emissions
R827015C024 Development of an Environmentally Friendly and Economical Process for Plugging Abandoned Wells
R827015C025 A Continuation of Remediation of Brine Spills with Hay
R827015C026 Identifying the Signature of the Natural Attenuation of MTBE in Goundwater Using Molecular Methods and "Bug Traps"
R827015C027 Identifying the Signature of Natural Attenuation in the Microbial Ecology of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Groundwater Using Molecular Methods and "Bug Traps"
R827015C028 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil: Project Continuation
R827015C030 Effective Stormwater and Sediment Control During Pipeline Construction Using a New Filter Fence Concept
R827015C031 Evaluation of Sub-micellar Synthetic Surfactants versus Biosurfactants for Enhanced LNAPL Recovery
R827015C032 Utilization of the Carbon and Hydrogen Isotopic Composition of Individual Compounds in Refined Hydrocarbon Products To Monitor Their Fate in the Environment
R830633 Integrated Petroleum Environmental Consortium (IPEC)
R830633C001 Development of an Environmentally Friendly and Economical Process for Plugging Abandoned Wells (Phase II)
R830633C002 A Continuation of Remediation of Brine Spills with Hay
R830633C003 Effective Stormwater and Sediment Control During Pipeline Construction Using a New Filter Fence Concept
R830633C004 Evaluation of Sub-micellar Synthetic Surfactants versus Biosurfactants for Enhanced LNAPL Recovery
R830633C005 Utilization of the Carbon and Hydrogen Isotopic Composition of Individual Compounds in Refined Hydrocarbon Products To Monitor Their Fate in the Environment
R830633C006 Evaluation of Commercial, Microbial-Based Products to Treat Paraffin Deposition in Tank Bottoms and Oil Production Equipment
R830633C007 Identifying the Signature of the Natural Attenuation in the Microbial Ecology of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Groundwater Using Molecular Methods and “Bug Traps”
R830633C008 Using Plants to Remediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil: Project Continuation
R830633C009 Use of Earthworms to Accelerate the Restoration of Oil and Brine Impacted Sites
X832428C001 Effective Stormwater and Sediment Control During Pipeline Construction Using a New Filter Fence Concept
X832428C002 Paraffin Control in Oil Wells Using Anaerobic Microorganisms
X832428C003 Fiber Rolls as a Tool for Re-Vegetation of Oil-Brine Contaminated Watersheds

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Use of Earthworms to Accelerate the Restoration of Oil and Brine Impacted Sites

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