@mastersthesis {51971,
	title = {Degradation and mobility of petroleum hydrocarbons in oilsands waste at the Aurora Fort Hills disposal area},
	year = {2013},
	month = {03/2013},
	pages = {90 pages },
	school = {University of Saskatchewan Department of Civil and Geological Engineering },
	address = {Saskatoon, SK },
	abstract = {Surface mining in the Athabasca oil sands region of Northern Alberta, Canada, results in the disturbance of significant areas of boreal forest landscape. The Aurora Soil Capping Study is a reclamation research project that aims to find the optimal soil capping (cover) material and thickness to re-establish a boreal forest ecosystem above a lean oil sands (LOS) disposal area at Syncrude{\textquoteright}s Aurora North mine. The objectives of this laboratory and field-based study are to (1) characterize the in-situ hydrocarbon composition of the LOS material, (2) determine the effect of temperature on rates of gas flux and the biodegradation potential of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) as a result of microbial activity and (3) determine the potential for PHC to leach into the groundwater system. The results of the laboratory-study show that temperature has a significant effect on the rate of PHC degradation as indicated by the linear relationship observed between temperature and CO2 gas flux rates. The respiratory results from the laboratory-based study were consistent and relatively comparable with data from the field study, which indicates that the column study could be useful in estimating in situ PHC degradation.},
	keywords = {field, hydrocarbon, laboratory, PAH, soil moisture, soil water, Syncrude, UofS, VOC},
	url = {http://ecommons.usask.ca/bitstream/handle/10388/ETD-2013-09-1346/Korbas\%2c\%20Tomasz_MSc_thesis_Sept_2013.pdf},
	author = {Korbas, Tomasz}
}
