Remediation of diesel fuel polluted soil using dielectric barrier discharge plasma

Diesel-fuel-polluted soil poses a risk to both the environment and human health. This study assessed the feasibility and efficiency of dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) for the degradation of diesel fuel in soil. At 180 W input power, 3 mm soil depth, initial concentration of 10,000 mg/kg, soil pH of 7.1, and 2% moisture, the degradation efficiency of diesel fuel reached 74% within 40 min of the treatment. The diesel fuel removal efficiency decreased significantly at a soil depth of >3 mm, and increased soil moisture impaired the process. With a high initial diesel fuel concentration, the removal efficiency was high due to the action of alkyl radicals. The most effectively removed hydrocarbons had <17 carbons, and by-products were mainly esters, anhydrides, and long-chain alkanes. The remediation efficiency of the actual petroleum-polluted soil from the Heilongjiang province of China was tested using DBD. The removal efficiency for saturated hydrocarbons was 71% at a power of 180 W for 40 min. Thus, DBD can be used as an efficient method for diesel-fuel-polluted soil remediation.

Automated summary

The study found that under certain conditions, dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) can efficiently degrade diesel-fuel-polluted soil, potentially becoming an effective remediation method. The degradation efficiency of diesel fuel is affected by factors such as soil depth and moisture, with high concentrations of diesel fuel being effectively removed through the action of alkyl radicals.