Application of Food Waste Composting Process for the Treatment of Diesel Contaminated Soil

Paradigm shifting from traditional food waste composting process to treat diesel oil-contaminated soil is an innovative, low cost and effective technology. However, according to the traditional bioremediation technologies, a key issue is that there is a maximum tolerated concentration. A test was then carried out to study whether there is a maximum tolerated concentration for the proposed method, and if yes, what is the operating value? The following diesel contaminations were tested: 0 mg/kg (without addition) , 5000 mg/kg, 10000 mg/kg, 20000 mg/kg, 30000 mg/kg and 50000 mg/kg. The result showed that diesel decomposition efficiency and the bioactivity of decomposing bacteria in the food waste compost pile were not restricted as diesel concentration increased up to 50000 mg/kg, an expected high concentration in general oil contamination site. Observed results indicate the proposed thermophilic composting process may develop into a cost-effective novel green remediation technology with high efficiency, thus provides a potential alternative in bioremediation of oil contamination sites. Keywordsfood waste composting process; diesel oil; bioaugmentation; bioremediation efficiency)