ABSTRACT
The contamination of soil by toxic, hazardous hydrophobic organic compounds is a widespread environmental problem. The solubility and bioavailability of hydrophobic pollutants can be increased by using surfactants to reduce surface tension and interfacial tension. This paper focuses on the influence of firefighting foams and degreasing agents on the biodegradation of diesel oil in the soil. This study applied three soil samples with bacterial flora, containing diesel and firefighting foam or degreasing agents. The determination of BOD was carried out using the respiratory method based on the oxygen pressure measurement through time, in a closed system. The presence of a surfactant based agent and bacterial consortium increased the effectiveness of hydrocarbon decomposition depending on the type of soil and the firefighting or degreasing agent. The best results, in terms of hydrocarbon elimination, were obtained when the soils were mixed with bacterial strains and a degreasing agent, whereas AFFF inhibited microbial activity.
