Stabilization of Vermiremediated Crude Oil-Contaminated Lateritic Soil Using Cement Kiln Dust for Landfill Liner and Cover Applications

John E. Sani, M. A. Hamza, G. Moses, Z. I. Ummisawa

Abstract


Crude oil pollution of tropical lateritic soils remains a persistent geo-environmental problem in oil-producing regions such as the Niger Delta of Nigeria, where spillage, pipeline vandalism and artisanal refining continually degrade soils that would otherwise be suitable for engineering use. This study evaluated the combined use of vermiremediation and cement kiln dust (CKD) stabilization to recondition crude oil-contaminated lateritic soil for use as a compacted liner and cover material in waste containment systems. Lateritic soil obtained from Shika, Zaria, Nigeria, was artificially contaminated with crude oil, bioremediated using the earthworm species Eudrilus eugeniae, and subsequently stabilized with 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8% CKD by dry weight of soil. Vermiremediation reduced the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) content of the contaminated soil from 4500 to 3300 mg/kg, a removal efficiency of 27%. Stabilization with CKD produced a general reduction in liquid limit, from 54% at 0% CKD to a minimum of 43% at 8% CKD, and reduced the plasticity index from 21.7% to 16.9% at 6% CKD. Maximum dry density increased from 1.63 Mg/m³ under British Standard Light (BSL) compaction to a peak of 1.84 Mg/m³ at 4% CKD under British Standard Heavy (BSH) compaction, while optimum moisture content increased moderately with CKD content, consistent with the additional water demand for hydration and pozzolanic reaction. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) improved markedly with treatment, rising from 170.2 kN/m² in the untreated soil to a maximum of 748.2 kN/m² at 6% CKD, +2% moulding water content and BSH compaction. Volumetric shrinkage strain (VSS) fell from 5.01% in the untreated soil to a minimum of 2.60% at 8% CKD, while hydraulic conductivity decreased with treatment, reaching values as low as 3.7 × 10⁻⁸ cm/s at 4-6% CKD under BSH compaction. Based on criteria commonly specified for compacted clay liners and covers (UCS ≥ 200 kN/m², VSS ≤ 4% and hydraulic conductivity ≤ 1 × 10⁻⁷ cm/s), vermiremediated crude oil-contaminated lateritic soil stabilized with 6% CKD satisfies the engineering requirements for use as a landfill liner and cover material, offering a low-cost, dual-mechanism route for the beneficial reuse of a petroleum-impacted soil together with an industrial by-product. 


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