Calcium peroxide oxidation of soil impacted by various spills : an attempt to meet Alberta non-hazardous landfill cover criteria

Abstract

Large volumes of contaminated soil are created daily at Alberta's industrial, oil and gas facilities. This soil is impacted with a variety of contaminants from multiple small spills co-mingled into a single containment bin. Due to lack of effective and economical remediation options, this material is transported to Class II or centrally located Class I landfills for disposal. A modified Fenton treatment was developed using calcium peroxide, citric acid and iron to oxidize hydrocarbons. Treatment was attempted on soil bins to establish if partial remediation could allow soil to be reused as landfill cover at local Class II facilities with stricter acceptance criteria than generic Class II landfills. Treatment resulted in an average of 19% hydrocarbon reduction and altered the classification of 18% of bins to meet stricter landfill criteria. Treatment was found not to be cost effective considering current landfill disposal costs and lack of government incentives for remediation.