Geostatistical Analysis of TPH Degradation in Field Soils

Abstract Evaluation of remediation strategies in the field is difficult because of the inherent spatial heterogeneity in the hydraulic and chemical properties of the soil. In this study, total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) degradation was monitored over a field site with three vegetative treatment plots, and one control plot undergoing natural attenuation. First-order kinetics were assumed applicable at the local scale. The degradation rates and the initial contaminant concentrations were treated as spatially correlated random fields. Our results indicate the importance of spatial variability for an accurate assessment of phytoremediation in the field.