On the use of apparent electrical conductivity survey data to investigate the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in a landfarm

In this study we investigated the use of apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) data to monitor the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in a landfarm. A four-layered landfarm was surveyed using a multi-receiver electromagnetic induction sensor providing the ECa of four soil volumes simultaneously. The ECa values were used to model the electrical conductivity (EC) of each of the landfarm layers. The modelled EC values were interpolated using ordinary block kriging and the block EC values plotted against the corresponding total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations. The scatterplots suggested a relationship between EC and the level of biodegradation, indicating ECa surveying can support monitoring the bioremediation in landfarms.

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