Effect of natural rubber processing sludge on the degradation of crude oil hydrocarbons in soil

Crude oil-polluted soil (five parts of weathered crude oil per 100 parts of soil; equivalent to 50,000 mg oil kg −1 soil) samples were slurried in deionised water (300% of the water retention capacity of the soil) and treated with various amounts of natural-rubber processing sludge (nitrogen content 62.15 mg kg −1 and phosphorus contents 8.75 mg kg −1 ) in a well-stirred, continuously-aerated tank at 29 °C. Changes in the total hydrocarbon content of the soil sample were determined, using a spectrophotometric technique, as a function of time. The extent of crude oil degradation was markedly higher (by up to 100%) in the sludge-treated soil than in the untreated soil sample. The efficiency of biodegradation of the crude oil hydrocarbons using the slurry-phase technique was compared with that of solid-phase technique.