Ecological and hygienic assessment of natural hydrocarbons content in arctic and subarctic soils of the European North-East of the Russian Federation

Cover Page

Cite item

Full Text

Open Access Open Access
Restricted Access Access granted
Restricted Access Subscription Access

Abstract

Introduction. The study of natural levels of hydrocarbons (HCs) content in soils is an urgent task, the solution of which will help to objectively assess the level of anthropogenic contamination of soils and timely limit the processes of extraction, processing, and transport of petroleum HCs. The analysis of HCs content in background soils will make it possible to reveal the regularities of their accumulation in the Arctic and Subarctic regions, taking into account the landscape and geochemistry of the areas.

Materials and methods. Representative samples of the main soil types were selected using the route method, taking into account the peculiarities of soil cover formation in different landscapes. The concentration of HCs in the samples was determined in hexane extracts based on their fluorescence intensity.

Results. The studies have shown that HCs accumulation and distribution in soil profiles are influenced by various factors such as soil genesis, relief, organic matter content, and physical clay. The highest HCs concentrations were observed in soils of accumulation landscapes on loamy sediments (Retisols), and the lowest in soils of eluvial landscapes on sands (Podzols). HCs profile differentiation is also more pronounced on loamy soils and less so on sandy soils. The results obtained allowed updating the existing database and mapping the HCs distribution in the background soils of the European Arctic and Subarctic.

Limitations. The limitation of the study is related to the fact that only background soils at a distance of at least 1 km from railways and motorways, 5 km from settlements and 10 km from industrial plants were sampled. In this paper, only natural HCs were analysed, without considering other classes of organic and inorganic compounds.

Conclusion. The data on the concentration of natural HCs in different background soils of the European North-East of Russia with respect to landscape-geochemical peculiarities have been obtained. The results provide an opportunity to assess the possible level of contamination of soils of the European Arctic and Subarctic. The HC content in organogenic horizons is shown to be characterised by a high accumulation capacity and act as an integral indicator of the aerotechnogenic load on the soil cover. Threshold values of HCs concentration are proposed for the studied soils, which are in a wide range from 3.4 to 40 mg/kg and can be used for ecological and hygienic assessment of high latitude soils.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require the submission of the conclusion of the Biomedical Ethics Committee or other documents.

Contribution:
Lodygin E.D. – study conception and design, mathematical processing, drafting;
Alekseev I.I., Nesterov B.A. – collection of material, data processing.
All co-authors are responsible for editing the manuscript, approving the final version of the article, and ensuring the integrity of all parts of the article.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. This work was supported by the RSF (no. 24-24-00144).

Received: April 1, 2024 / Accepted: June 19, 2024 / Published: January 31, 2025

About the authors

Evgeny D. Lodygin

Institute of Biology, Komi Federal Research Centre, Ural Branch of RAS

Email: lodigin@ib.komisc.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0675-524X

DSc (Biology), leading researcher, Soil Science Department, Institute of Biology, Komi Federal Research Centre, Ural Branch of RAS, Syktyvkar, 167982, Russian Federation

e-mail: lodigin@ib.komisc.ru

Ivan I. Alekseev

Institute of Biology, Komi Federal Research Centre, Ural Branch of RAS

Email: alekseevivan95@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0512-3849

Junior researcher, Soil Science Department, Institute of Biology, Komi Federal Research Centre, Ural Branch of RAS, Syktyvkar, 167982, Russian Federation

e-mail: alekseevivan95@gmail.com

Boris A. Nesterov

Institute of Biology, Komi Federal Research Centre, Ural Branch of RAS

Author for correspondence.
Email: B-nesterov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0009-9509-6431

Research engineer, Soil Science Department, Institute of Biology, Komi Federal Research Centre, Ural Branch of RAS, Syktyvkar, 167982, Russian Federation

e-mail: B-nesterov@mail.ru

References

  1. Hassani S.S., Daraee M., Sobat Z. Advanced development in upstream of petroleum industry using nanotechnology. Chin. J. Chem. Eng. 2020; 28(6): 1483–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjche.2020.02.030
  2. Zhao F., Fan Y., Zhang S. Assessment of efficiency improvement and emission mitigation potentials in China’s petroleum refining industry. J. Clean. Prod. 2021; 280: 124482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124482
  3. Ossai I.C., Ahmed A., Hassan A., Hamid F.S. Remediation of soil and water contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbon: a review. Environ. Technol. Innov. 2020; 17: 100526. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2019.100526
  4. Hoang S.A., Sarkar B., Seshadri B., Lamb D., Wijesekara H., Vithanage M., et al. Mitigation of petroleum-hydrocarbon-contaminated hazardous soils using organic amendments: a review. J. Hazard Mater. 2021; 416: 125702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125702
  5. Chaudhary D.K., Kim J. New insights into bioremediation strategies for oil-contaminated soil in cold environments. Int. Biodeterior. Biodegrad. 2019; 142: 58–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2019.05.001
  6. Guryanova A., Ermakov V., Galyanin V., Artyushenko V., Sakharova T., Usenov I., et al. Quantitative analysis of total hydrocarbons and water in oil-contaminated soils with attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy. J. Chemom. 2017; 31(8): e2826. https://doi.org/10.1002/cem.2826
  7. Nigmatov L.G., Medvedev V.Ye., Kuryakova T.A., Trubnikov V.V. Ecological consequences of oil rigs wastes impact on farm crops. Izvestiya Orenburgskogo gosudarstvennogo agrarnogo universiteta. 2017; (3): 207–9. https://elibrary.ru/zayvib (in Russian)
  8. Raji W.O., Obadare I.G., Odukoya M.A., Johnson L.M. Electrical resistivity mapping of oil spills in a coastal environment of Lagos, Nigeria. Arab. J. Geosci. 2018; 11(7): 144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3470-1
  9. Ambaye T.G., Vaccari M., Franzetti A., Prasad S., Formicola F., Rosatelli A., et al. Microbial electrochemical bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) pollution: recent advances and outlook. Chem. Eng. J. 2023; 452: 139372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.139372
  10. Wu M., Ye X., Chen K., Li W., Yuan J., Jiang X. Bacterial community shift and hydrocarbon transformation during bioremediation of short-term petroleum-contaminated soil. Environ. Pollut. 2017; 223: 657–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.01.079
  11. Pagnucco R., Phillips M.L. Comparative effectiveness of natural by-products and synthetic sorbents in oil spill booms. J. Environ. Manag. 2018; 225: 10–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.07.094
  12. Wang Y., Wang J., Leng F., Chen J. Effects of oil pollution on indigenous bacterial diversity and community structure of soil in Fushun, Liaoning Province, China. Geomicrobiol. J. 2021; 38(2): 115–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490451.2020.1817196
  13. da Silva Correa H., Blum C.T., Galvão F., Maranho L.T. Effects of oil contamination on plant growth and development: a review. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 2022; 29(29): 43501–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-19939-9
  14. Ławniczak Ł., Woźniak-Karczewska M., Loibner A.P., Heipieper H.J., Chrzanowski Ł. Microbial degradation of hydrocarbons-basic principles for bioremediation: a review. Molecules. 2020; 25(4): 856. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25040856
  15. Gope M., Masto R.E., George J., Balachandran S. Exposure and cancer risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the street dust of Asansol city, India. Sustain. Cities Soc. 2018; 38: 616–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.01.006
  16. Abdelhaleem H.A.R., Zein H.S., Azeiz A., Sharaf A.N., Abdelhadi A.A. Identification and characterization of novel bacterial polyaromatic hydrocarbon-degrading enzymes as potential tools for cleaning up hydrocarbon pollutants from different environmental sources. Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 2019: 67: 108–16, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2019.02.009
  17. Mokarram M., Saber A., Obeidi R. Effects of heavy metal contamination released by petrochemical plants on marine life and water quality of coastal area. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 2021; 28(37): 51369–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13763-3
  18. Podlesińsk W., Dąbrowsk H. Amphipods in estuarine and marine quality assessment – a review. Oceanologia. 2019; 61(2): 179–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2018.09.002
  19. Hazaimeh M.D., Ahmed E.S. Bioremediation perspectives and progress in petroleum pollution in the marine environment: A review. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 2021; 28(39): 54238–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15598-4
  20. Ishkova S.V.E., Trots N.M., Gorshkova O.V.E. Influence of oil installations on pollution of soil cover by heavy metals and oil products. Izvestiya Samarskogo nauchnogo tsentra Rossiiskoi akademii nauk. 2012; 14(5): 217–22. https://elibrary.ru/pisyut (in Russian)
  21. Panagos P., Van Liedekerke M., Yigini Y., Montanarella L. Contaminated sites in Europe: review of the current situation based on data collected through a European network. J. Environ. Public Health. 2013; 2013: 158764. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/158764
  22. Sharma V.K., Hicks S.D., Rivera W., Vazquez F.G. Hydrocarbon contamination in sediments of Nueces Bay, Texas. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 2000; 65(2): 253–60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s001280000122
  23. Shi H., Zhang L., Yue L., Zheng G. Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in surface sediments of Beiluohe Basins, China. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 2008; 81(4): 416–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-008-9419-4
  24. Aislabie J.M., Saul D.J., Foght J.M. Bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated polar soils. Extremophiles. 2006; 10: 171–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-005-0498-4
  25. Alekseev I.I., Abakumov E.V., Shamilishvili G.A., Lodygin E.D. Heavy metals and hydrocarbons content in soils of settlements of the Yamal-Nenets autonomous region. Gigiena i Sanitaria (Hygiene and Sanitation, Russian journal). 2016; 95(9): 818–21. https://doi.org/10.18821/0016-9900-2016-95-9-818-821 https://elibrary.ru/wwulhr (in Russian)
  26. Gomez F., Sartaj M. Optimization of field scale biopiles for bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil at low temperature conditions by response surface methodology (RSM). Biodeterior. Biodegrad. 2014; 89: 103–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2014.01.010
  27. Karppinen E.M., Stewart K.J., Farrell R.E., Siciliano S.D. Petroleum hydrocarbon remediation in frozen soil using a meat and bonemeal biochar plus fertilizer. Chemosphere. 2017; 173: 330–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.01.016
  28. Abakumov E.V., Lodygin E.D., Gabov D.N., Krylenkov V.A. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons content in antarctica soils as exemplified by the Russian polar stations. Gigiena i Sanitaria (Hygiene and Sanitation, Russian journal). 2014; 93(1): 31–5. https://elibrary.ru/rydzap (in Russian)
  29. Beznosikov V.A., Lodygin E.D. Hydrocarbons in the background soils of the southern- and middle-taiga subzones of the Komi Republic. Eurasian Soil Sci. 2014; 47(7): 682–6. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229314070059
  30. Das S., Kuppanan N., Channashettar V.A., Lal B. Remediation of oily sludge- and oil-contaminated soil from petroleum industry: recent developments and future prospects. In: Advances in Soil Microbiology: Recent Trends and Future Prospects. Microorganisms for Sustainability. Volume 3. Singapore: Springer; 2018: 165–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6178-3_9
  31. Beznosikov V.A., Lodygin E.D. Geochemical assessment of ecological state of soils. Gigiena i Sanitaria (Hygiene and Sanitation, Russian journal). 2018; 97(7): 623–8. https://doi.org/10.18821/0016-9900-2018-97-7-623-628 https://elibrary.ru/xwpbvb (in Russian)
  32. Jiang Y., Brassington K.J., Prpich G., Paton G.I., Semple K.T., Pollard S.J.T., et al. Insights into the biodegradation of weathered hydrocarbons in contaminated soils by bioaugmentation and nutrient stimulation. Chemosphere. 2016; 161: 300–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.07.032
  33. SanPiN 1.2.3685-21. Hygienic norms and requirements to ensure safety and/or harmlessness of living environment factors for humans (as amended on 30 December 2022). Moscow; 2022. (in Russian)
  34. IUSS Working Group WRB. World Reference Base for Soil Resources. International Soil Classification System for Naming Soils and Creating Legends for Soil Maps. Vienna: International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS); 2022.
  35. Abakumov E.V., Tomashunas V.M., Lodygin E.D., Gabov D.N., Sokolov V.T., Krylenkov V.A., et al. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in insular and coastal soils of the Russian Arctic. Eurasian Soil Sci. 2015; 48(12): 1300–5. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229315120029
  36. Zhangurov E.V., Starcev V.V., Dubrovskiy Y.A., Degteva S.V., Dymov A.A. Morphogenetic features of soils under mountainous larch forests and woodlands in the subpolar Urals. Eurasian Soil Sci. 2019; 52(12): 1463–76. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229319120147
  37. Liu Y., Wu Y., Xia Y., Lei T., Tian C., Hou X. Aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils of the northwest Qinling Mountains: Patterns, potential risk and an appraisal of the PAH ratios to infer their source. J. Environ. Sci. Health. 2017; 52(4): 320–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/10934529.2016.1258865
  38. Defra. Environmental Protection Act 1990: Part 2A Contaminated Land Statutory Guidance. London: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; 2012.
  39. Ander E.L., Johnson C.C., Cave M.R., Palumbo-Roe B., Nathanail C.P., Lark R.M. Methodology for the determination of normal background concentrations of contaminants in English soil. Sci. Total Environ. 2013; 454–455: 604–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.03.005
  40. APAT-ISS. Protocollo Operativo per la determinazione dei valori di fondo di metalli/metalloidi nei suoli dei siti d’interesse nazionale. Revisone 0. Rome; 2006. (in Italian)
  41. Khodary S.M., Negm A.M., Tawfik A. Geotechnical properties of the soils contaminated with oils, landfill leachate, and fertilizers. Arab. J. Geosci. 2018; 11: 13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-3372-7

Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
Action
1. JATS XML
Download

Copyright (c) 2025


СМИ зарегистрировано Федеральной службой по надзору в сфере связи, информационных технологий и массовых коммуникаций (Роскомнадзор).
Регистрационный номер и дата принятия решения о регистрации СМИ: серия ПИ № ФС 77 - 37884 от 02.10.2009.