Electro-kinetic removal of oil from a contaminated soil

An electro-kinetic method which combined effects of electrophoresis, electr o-osmosis, electrolysis, and ion exchange, was evaluated for the removal of crude oil from a contaminated soil. A field test was designed to evaluate the removal process and to measure physical and chemical changes which occu rred in the soil as a result of electro-kinetic treatment. A lot of 12m x 5 m x 1m was used for the field test and a DC power of 110V was applied. The observations of the test are physical and chemical changes in soil, pH valu e at electrodes, discoloration of the surface soil, and the oil content in soil. Testing results indicated that the electro-kinetic treatment induced a hydraulic gradient that helped most of the lighter hydrocarbons in crude oil be removed from the soil within three weeks. The pH values of 2.5 at th e anode and 11 at the cathode were measured and indicated that the reductio n and oxidation processes occurred as expected.