Effects of RAMEB on bioremediation of different soils contaminated with hydrocarbons

The limiting factor of soil remediation is often the low accessibility of the pollutants. Laboratory experiments have been carried out to investigate the effect of the randomly methylated cyclodextrin (RAMEB) on bioremediation of various types of soils spiked with Diesel and transformer oil and also on actual site soils contaminated with poorly degradable mazout. The contaminated soil in the aerobic solid phase microcosm-experiments was amended with nutrients and supplemented with different amounts of RAMEB. An integrated chemical-biological-ecotoxicological methodology was applied to follow the bioremediation. The laboratory study proved the bioremediation enhancing effect of RAMEB both on artificially contaminated soils and on actual site mazout contaminated soils. RAMEB activated soil microbes by improving the bioavailability of the contaminants and accelerating biodegradation. Efficacy of RAMEB was influenced both by contaminant and environment related factors, such as the type and concentration of the polluting hydrocarbons and characteristics of the soil.