Life cycle assessment of soil remediation options:Study of options at Norrbyskär - which alternative has the least climate impact?  The purpose of this report was to make a life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare four suggested options for soil remediation at Norrbyskär, Umeå. The question formulation was to find out which option that had the least climate impact depending on the aim of the remediation. Main focus of the study was emissions of CO2 from transportation and machine work for each remediation option. The LCA was a screening and presented a good overview for the results. What sets the four remediation options apart is the amount of soil that is processed for each option. The LCA was performed according to the standards ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2006. Calculations in the report was performed with the LCA-software SimaPro and general data from EcoInvent. The results showed that the total emissions from each soil remediation option varied between 310 and 590 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). The option that only included covering of the contaminated area with new soil had the least emissions and the option that included excavation and filling with new soil had the highest emissions. Both options do not fulfill the same goals in the end, though. One conclusion is that the more extensive remediation is the greater is the climate impact.

The rapid urbanization and industrialization has led to an increase of disposal petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) and trace elements (TE) into the environment. These pollutants are considered as the most toxic contaminants in the world due to their persistence in the environment, and the long range of toxicological effects for living beings. Recent concerns regarding the environmental contamination have initiated the development of several remediation technologies, including physical, chemical, and biological approaches. In this thesis, gentle soil remediation options (GRO) were investigated at different scales for the reclamation of PHC and TE co-contaminated soil. In the first part of this thesis, laboratory experiments were performed to characterize PHC and TE contaminated soil as well as the indigenous microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) present inside these contaminated soil. It was found that the studied aged contaminated soil had a negative effect on earthworm’s development and L. sativum biomass. Moreover, a high respiration of microorganisms attributed to the transformation/ mineralization of organic matter or/and organic pollutants was observed. This presence of viable microorganisms suggested an adaptation of microorganisms to the contaminant. Further results showed that the long-term exposure of soil microorganisms to high PHC concentration and the type of isolation culture media did not influence the ability of isolates to effectively degrade PHC. However, phylogenic affiliation had a strong on PHC biodegradation. In the second part of this thesis, preliminary studies in greenhouse were assessed to investigate the ability of M. sativa assisted by compost in the greenhouse aided-phytoremediation of PHC and TE. It was found that compost incorporation into the soil promoted PHC degradation, M. sativa growth and survival, and phytoextraction of TE. Residual risk assessment after the phytoremediation trial also showed a positive effect of compost amendment on plant growth and earthworm development. Pilot scale ecopile experiment carried out in the third part of this thesis allow a reduction of up to 80% of PHC and 20% of metals after 17 months. This research demonstrated that M. sativa and H. annus were suitable for phytodegradation of PHC and phytoextraction of TE.  Results from this thesis are helpful for further full-scale phytoremediation studies.

The rapid urbanization and industrialization has led to an increase of disposal petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) and trace elements (TE) into the environment. These pollutants are considered as the most toxic contaminants in the world due to their persistence in the environment, and the long range of toxicological effects for living beings when their concentrations exceed critical thresholds. Recent concerns regarding the environmental contamination have initiated the development of several remediation technologies, including physico-chemical, biological and Dig and Dump approaches. In my thesis, gentle soil remediation options (GRO) were investigated at different scales for the reclamation of PHC and TE co-contaminated soil. In the first part of my thesis, laboratory experiments were performed to characterize PHC and TE contaminated soil as well as the indigenous microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) present in these contaminated soils. It was found that the studied aged contaminated soil had a negative effect on earthworm’s development and Lepidium sativum biomass. Moreover, a high respiration of microorganisms attributed to the transformation/ mineralization of organic matter or/and organic pollutants was observed. This presence of viable microorganisms suggested an adaptation of microorganisms to the contaminant. Further results showed that the long-term exposure of soil microorganisms to high PHC concentration and the type of isolation culture media did not influence the ability of isolates to effectively degrade PHC. However, phylogenic affiliation had a strong effect on PHC biodegradation. In the second part of my thesis, preliminary studies in greenhouse trials were performed to investigate the ability of Medicago sativa assisted by compost in the greenhouse aided-phytoremediation of PHC and TE. The results clearly showed that compost amendment into the soil promoted PHC degradation, M. sativa growth and survival, and phytoextraction of TE. Residual risk assessment after the phytoremediation trial also showed a positive effect of compost amendment on plant growth and earthworm development. Pilot-scale ecopile experiment carried out in the third part of this thesis allow a reduction of up to 80% of PHC and 20% of metals after 17 months. My thesis showed that alfalfa (M. sativa) and sunflower (Helianthus annus) plants were suitable for phytodegradation of PHC and phytoextraction of TE. The outcomes of my thesis can be extend to other plants and they bring a new level of understanding that can be helpful for further full-scale phytoremediation studies. / L'urbanisation rapide et les activités industrielles ont abouti à la contamination de l’environnement par les hydrocarbures pétroliers (HP) et les éléments traces (ET). Ces composés sont particulièrement toxiques en raison de leur persistance dans l'environnement, et de leurs effets toxicologiques sur les êtres vivants quand les concentrations de ceux-ci dépassent des seuils critiques. Les préoccupations de plus en plus croissantes sur la contamination de l'environnement ont favorisé le développement de plusieurs technologies de remédiation des sites contaminés par les approches biologiques, physico-chimiques et par l’excavation et l’entreposage. Dans cette thèse, des options douces d'assainissement des sols (ODA) ont été utilisées à différentes échelles pour la remédiation des sols contaminés par des mélanges des HP et des ET. Dans la première partie de ma thèse, des expériences en laboratoire ont été effectuées dans le but de caractériser les sols contaminés et les micro-organismes autochtones (bactéries et champignons) qu’ils contiennent. Malgré la contamination ancienne du sol, les résultats obtenus montrent des effets négatifs des contaminants sur le développement des lombrics et la biomasse de Lepidium sativum. En outre, une respiration élevée de microorganismes, attribuée à la transformation / minéralisation de la matière organique et / ou des polluants organiques a été observée. Cette présence de micro-organismes viables dans les sols contaminés suggère leur adaptation aux contaminants. Toutefois, d'autres résultats ont montré que l'exposition à long terme des microorganismes du sol à de fortes concentrations en HP et le type de milieu de culture utilisé pour l'isolation n'influencent pas la capacité des isolats microbiens à dégrader efficacement les HP. Cette capacité de biodégradation des HP est liée à la phylogénie des microorganismes. Dans la deuxième partie de cette thèse, les études préliminaires en serre ont été réalisées dans le but d’évaluer l’efficacité de phytoremédiation en utilisant Medicago sativa assistée par l’ajout du compost. Les résultats ont montré dans cette expérience que l’ajout du compost dans le sol favorise la dégradation des HP, la croissance et la survie de M. sativa, ainsi que la phytoextraction des ET. L’évaluation des risques résiduels après la phytoremédiation a également montré un effet positif de l'amendement du sol en compost sur la croissance des plantes et le développement des lombrics. L’expérience pilote réalisée sur le terrain dans la troisième partie de ma thèse a permis une réduction de 80% des HP et de 20% des ET après 17 mois. Ma thèse a démontré que la luzerne (M. sativa) et le tournesol (Helianthus annus) sont des choix judicieux de plantes pour la phytodégradation des HP et pour la phytoextraction des ET. Les résultats qui en résultent sont utiles pour d’autres études de phytoremédiation à grande échelle. / Den snabba urbaniseringen och industrialiseringen har lett till en ökning av petroleumkolväten (PHC) och olika spårämnen (TE) i miljön. Dessa föroreningar anses vara de mest giftiga föroreningarna i världen på grund av att de stannar kvar i miljön samt att de har toxikologisk påverkan på levande varelser. På senare tid har oron för dessa miljöföroreningar lett till utvecklingen av flera saneringstekniker, såsom fysiska, kemiska och biologiska metoder. I denna avhandling undersöktes enkla marksaneringsalternativ (GRO) på olika nivåer, för återvinning av PHC och TE från förorenad jord. I den första delen av denna avhandling, utfördes laboratorieförsök för att karakterisera PHC- och TE-förorenad jord samt av de inhemska mikroorganismerna (bakterier och svampar) som förekommer i dessa förorenade jordar. Det konstaterades att den studerade förorenade jorden hade en negativ inverkan på daggmaskars utveckling och biomassan av L. sativum. Dessutom kunde den höga respirationen bland mikroorganismerna tillskrivas omvandlingen och mineraliseringen av organiskt material och/eller de organiska föroreningar som observerades. Denna närvaro av livsdugliga mikroorganismer antydde att mikroorganismerna anpassat sig till föroreningssituationen på platsen. Ytterligare resultat visade dock att den långvariga exponeringen av höga PHC-koncentrationer i isolerade odlingsmedier, för mikroorganismer i jorden, inte påverkade förmågan för dessa att effektivt bryta ned PHC. Dock hade den fylogenetiska tillhörigheten en stark påverkan på bionedbrytning av PHC. I den andra delen av denna avhandling genomfördes preliminära studier i växthus där förmågan hos M. sativa undersöktes, med hjälp av kompost, gällande den växthusstödda fytosaneringen av PHC och TE. Resultaten visade att inblanding av kompost i jorden främjade nedbrytningen av PHC, tillväxten och överlevnadsgraden av M. sativa och fytoextraktion av Pb. Återstående riskbedömning efter fytosaneringen visade också en positiv effekt, när komposten användes, på växternas tillväxt och daggmaskarnas utveckling. Ett experiment med eco-bädd utfördes för den tredje delen av avhandlingen. Denna studie visade på en minskning på upp till 80% av PHC och 20% av metallerna. Denna avhandling visar att M. sativa och H. annus var lämpliga för nedbrytning av PHC och fytoextraktion av Pb och Cu. Resultaten från denna avhandling förväntas vara användbara för ytterligare studier av fytoremediering i fullskala.