REMEDIATION OF HYDROCARBON CONTAMINATED SOILS USING PULVERIZED OYSTER AND SNAIL SHELLS

Hydrocarbon contaminated soil were collected and treated with pulverized oyster and snail shells which served as adsorbents for remediation of the impacted sites. Gas Chromatography flame ionization detector was used to determine the Total petroleum hydrocarbon of the seven soil samples. Results obtained showed the concentrations of Total hydrocarbon for samples 1, 2 and 3 before treatment were 14655.00 mg/kg, 12412.00 mg/kg and 14906 mg/kg respectively. The hydrocarbon impacted soil samples were treated with pulverized oyster shell and after thirty days, results were 6188.00mg/kg; 8543.00 mg/kg and 12612.00 mg/kg respectively. Similarly samples 4, 5 and 6 showed the following results before treatment: 11295.00 mg/kg; 9456.00 mg/kg and 12246 mg/kg respectively. The soil samples were treated with pulverized snail shell and after thirty days, the results were: 5924.00 mg/kg; 6918.00 mg/kg and 10532 mg/kg. The result of the control sample which was not treated was 13641.00 mg/kg. The calculated percentage reduction of petroleum hydrocarbons in samples 1, 2 and 3 treated with pulverized oyster shells were: 57.78 %, 31.17 % and 15.36 % and those of samples 4, 5 and 6 treated with pulverized snail shell were: 47.55 %, 26.86 % and 14.00 % respectively. Generally, the oyster shells showed a better percentage reduction of petroleum hydrocarbons than snail shells. The results also confirmed that pulverized oyster and pulverized snail shells can be employed for remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soils.