Petroleum-Contaminated Soil

  "Petroleum is naturally occurring liquid oil usually found in deposits beneath the surface of the earth. It is a kind of oil composed of rock minerals, making it totally different from other forms of oils that come from plants and animals (such as vegetable oil, animal fat, or essential oils). The word petroleum comes from the Latin words petra (rock) and oleum (oil), so virtually means that rock oil. Despite this, petroleum is an organic compound, formed from the remains of microorganisms living several years ago. It’s one of the 3 main fossil fuels, along with coal and natural gas. Not all oil released from land sources is quickly washed away to sea, however. Pipeline and oil-well accidents, unregulated industrial waste, and leaky underground storage tanks can all permanently contaminate massive areas of soil, making them economically useless as well as dangerous to the health of organisms living in and around them.  

High Impact List of Articles

Relevant Topics in General Science