Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Isolation and Screening from Soil Biodiversity for Fungi Involved in the Degradation of Recalcitrant Materials
Published on: May 16, 2022
Degradation of diesel oil in soil using a food waste composting process
Hung-Soo Joo1, Makoto Shoda, Chae-Gun Phae
1Department of Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University of Technology, 172 Kongneung-Dong, Nowon-Gu, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract:
We investigated the simultaneous degradation of diesel oil in soil and the organic matter in food waste by composting in 8 l reactors. Using a 0.5 l/min air flow rate, and 0.5-1% diesel oil concentrations together with 20% food waste, high composting temperatures (above 60 degrees C) were attained due to the efficient degradation of the food waste. Petroleum hydrocarbons were degraded by 80% after only 15 days composting in the presence of food waste. In a 28 l reactor scale-up experiment using 1% oil, 20% food waste and 79% soil, removal efficiencies of petroleum hydrocarbons and food waste after 15 days were 79% and 77%, respectively.
Related Concept Videos
Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
Biofuels
Bioremediation
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
Biological Treatment of Effluent and Waste Water
Biodeterioration

