Investigation of the effect of mulching with petroleum products on water quality

The influx of quicksand in the desert areas of Iran causes damage to various aspects of life of the inhabitants of these areas. Oil mulching is one of the measures that has been used for many years to stabilize quicksands. Because oil mulch is made up of heavy petroleum products, it can contaminate water resources in these areas with heavy elements and hydrocarbons by entering water sources. To investigate the effect of heavy elements and hydrocarbons on water resources, samples of oil mulch in short-term, medium-term and long-term periods from Hamidiyeh sands of Khuzestan province and also samples of oil mulch of Abadan refinery in laboratory conditions with Simulations of natural conditions and 24-hour residence time in contact with water were investigated. The results of this study showed that the amount of pollution of heavy metals other than elemental, which in the long-term, medium-term, short-term and control area increased by 95%, 115%, 123% and 129%, respectively, than the allowable limit. Oil mulch does not have a significant effect on increasing the pollution of water resources in terms of heavy elements. Examination of oil mulch on the amount of hydrocarbons in water showed that with the exception of Naphtalene and Benzo (g, h, i) Perylene, which decreased in the medium and short term compared to the control area, the difference of other hydrocarbons compared to the control area increased. Been; But in general, the amount of all hydrocarbons studied in the studied treatments was less than their allowable limit.