Remediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons Contaminated Soil

Soil contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons is a serious world-wide environmental problem that has been attracting public attention over the past decades. Petroleum hydrocarbons are mixture of chemical substances caused during human activities by using petroleum products in industrial and agriculture products. Although petroleum is one of the dominant energy sources to maintain the economic and social development of a country, petroleum has become one of the most important types of organic pollutant and is caused by mainly leakage of underground storage tanks and accidental spills during transportation and disposal. Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) are one of the most common groups of persistent organic contaminants in the environment and are known to be toxic to many living organisms. The presence of petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil is not only an adverse factor for human health but also a negative impetus for plant growth and development.