Petroleum hydrocarbon release behavior study in oil-sediment aggregates: turbulence intensity and chemical dispersion effect

This study investigated the effects of turbulence and oil dispersants on release of petroleum hydrocarbons in oil-sediment aggregates. A kinetic study showed that the static oil release process could be fitted to the first-order kinetics model. The oil concentration increased with increasing temperature and salinity, while remaining independent of pH. The dispersant desorption ability of petroleum hydrocarbons followed the sequence of: Tween 80 > Tween 85 > Span 80 > DOSS. In the presence of turbulence, the maximum release ratio was 40.28%. However, the combination of dispersants and turbulence had a smaller effect than turbulence alone. Furthermore, residual n-alkanes and PAHs in the sediments were analyzed. The results showed higher proportions of C-15-C-35 and 2-3 ring PAHs in residual oil. These results can help assess the fate and distribution of oil spills in marine environments.