Biological aspects of soil pollution by petroleum substances and natural gas

4 Biological aspects of soil pollution by petroleum substances and natural gas 

It goes without saying that petroleum is a vital raw material for energy production, heat, and also as a raw material for the production of a great variety of refinery and petrochemical products. However, on soils polluted by petroleum and by most of its products, the plants are destroyed. 

The escape of natural gas from the gas distribution networks also exerts a considerable effect on physical, chemical and biological processes in the soil. The extent of the gas zone depends greatly on the rate of its escape, depth of the groundwater level, type of pipeline, the nature and moisture of the soil, treatment of its surface, etc. The composition of the gaseous phase in the soil is affected by the microbiological oxidation of methane. The rate of this depends on the soil temperature, presence of oxygen and the content of nutrients. At low temperatures, this microbial process is restricted, which also restricts the anaerobic zone. 

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