Bioremediation potential of oil-contamination in aquifer of around Shazand Oil Refinery

In this research, bioremediation potential of the aquifer located beneath Shazand Oil Refinery Company was evaluated according to the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater samples. Groundwater quality determined by sampling from different locations and specifying some hydrochemical parameters such as EC, DO, T, pH as well as concentration of the major ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, (K++Na+), SO4-2, Cl-, (CO3-2+HCO3-)), some heavy metals (Fe+2, Mn+2) and nutrients (N-3, SO4-2). The results revealed that the amount of pH and EC provided a suitable condition for biodegradation of hydrocarbon contaminants. Dissolved oxygen concentration of the samples shows a suitable condition for aerobic biodegradation, however, there is not an optimum condition based on the average temperature and nutrient concentration. Carbon to nitrogen and to phosphorus ratios and also nitrogen to phosphorus ratio are not suitable in the optimum range. It means that in the case of site remediation the aquifer of the area has not adequate ability to conduct natural bioremediation and so an enhanced remediation operation will be inevitable.