Petroleum Hydrocarbon Pollution and Sustainable Uses of Indigene Absorbents for Spill Removal from the Environment—A Review

Daniel Arghiropol, Tiberiu Rusu, Marioara Moldovan, Gertrud-Alexandra Paltinean (), Laura Silaghi-Dumitrescu, Codruta Sarosi and Ioan Petean
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Daniel Arghiropol: Faculty of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Tiberiu Rusu: Faculty of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Marioara Moldovan: Raluca Ripan Institute for Research in Chemistry, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Gertrud-Alexandra Paltinean: Raluca Ripan Institute for Research in Chemistry, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Laura Silaghi-Dumitrescu: Raluca Ripan Institute for Research in Chemistry, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Codruta Sarosi: Raluca Ripan Institute for Research in Chemistry, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Ioan Petean: Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, 400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-22

Abstract: Petroleum hydrocarbon pollution is a serious environmental and human health problem. In recent decades, the impact of this substance has been profound and persistent, affecting the balance of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and leading to significant physical and psychosocial effects among the population. Natural sources (crude oil, natural gas, forest fires, and volcanic eruptions) and anthropogenic (road traffic, smoking, pesticide use, oil drilling, underground water leaks, improper oil spills, industrial and mining waste water washing, etc.), the molar weight of the hydrocarbon, and the physicochemical properties are important factors in determining the degree of pollution. The effects of pollution on the environment consist of altering the fundamental structures for sustaining life (infertile lands, climate change, and loss of biodiversity). In terms of human health, diseases of the following systems occur: respiratory (asthma, bronchitis), cardiovascular (stroke, heart attack), pulmonary (infections, cancer), and premature death. To reduce contamination, sustainable intervention must be carried out in the early stages of the pollution-control process. These include physical techniques (isolation, soil vapor extraction, solvent extraction, soil washing), chemical techniques (dispersants–surfactants, chemical oxidation, solidification/stabilization, thermal desorption), biological techniques (bioremediation, phytoremediation), and indigenous absorbents (peat, straw, wood sawdust, natural zeolites, clays, hemp fibers, granular slag, Adabline II OS). Due to the significant environmental consequences, decisions regarding the treatment of contaminated sites should be made by environmental experts, who must consider factors such as treatment costs, environmental protection regulations, resource recovery, and social implications. Public awareness is also crucial, as citizens need to understand the severity of the issue. They must address the sources of pollution to develop sustainable solutions for ecosystem decontamination. By protecting the environment, we are also safeguarding human nature.

Keywords: petroleum hydrocarbon pollution; impact to environment and human health; remediation techniques; indigenous absorbents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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