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 Oily Sludge - The Problem :
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Oily sludge, generated by oil refining industry,
is notified as hazardous waste and its
management and safe disposal pose major
challenge for refiners. The sludge comprises of hydrocarbons, soil, sand, metals and water etc.,
which get accumulated over a period of time in
storage tanks and pose several environmental
and operational problems for refineries and
marketing installations.
Oily Sludge
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At a conservative estimate, a refining capacity
of about 100 MMTPA generates about 20,000
metric tons of oily sludge per year and its disposal
in environmentally sound and cost effective
manner is a must. The conventional option of oily
sludge treatment in refineries include subjecting
the sludge to melting pits and/ or hot oil circulation
in tanks and the de-oiled sludge is mostly land
filled or put in secured pits. This approach is
costly and does not provide an environmentally
effective solution to such a perennial problem.
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Bioremediation- The Remedy : |
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Biological agents, usually bacteria and fungi, can be
utilized to reduce/eliminate oily sludge. These microbes either
eat up the contaminants (mostly organic compounds), or assimilate
them (heavy metals) and lead to efficient cleanup of the contaminated
site. This intervention - bioremediation - has been in use
since 1970's and has acquired global acceptance.
OiliVorous -S Technology is a joint development of IndianOil
R&D and TERI
OiliVorous-S is a blend of five specific microbes selected
to biodegrade a wide range of hydrocarbon contaminants of
oily sludges.
The large-scale production of these microbes is done under stringent
conditions of quality check and final blend of microbes is adsorbed
on a naturally occurring biodegradable carrier matrix to facilitate
its dispersion during use and ease in transportation.
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Degradation
of oily sludge by selected bacterial strains
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| Without
Bacterial Strain |
With
Bacterial Strain |
Oilivorous-S
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