Abstract: The paper presents the characteristics of threats due to petroleum products and its consequences as well as the source of these pollutants. Toxicity of petroleum products is due to their physical and chemical properties. Oil pollution threaten both fauna and flora of contaminated land and underground waters. The paper presents the negative impacts of hydrocarbons on the man and the methods of their removal from the groundwater environment.
B I B L I O G R A F I A[1] Indulski J., Lutz W. and Krajewska B.: Biomarkers of health risks in people living in areas of high hazard from cancerogenic chemical substances. Med. Pracy, 1996, 13, 7-15 (in Polish).
[2] Andryszek C. and Indulski J.: Developing criteria and determining areas of the population's highest health hazard from chemical substances found in the natural environment. I. Proposal of health markers selection criteria. Med. Pracy, 1996, 4, 521-523 (in Polish).
[3] Morrison R.T. and Boyd R.N.: Organic Chemistry (in Polish). Wyd. Nauk. PWN, Warszawa 2003.
[4] Gierak A., Charmas B. and Leboda R.: Chromatographic determination of water volatile pollutants with Purge and Trap Injection method. Ochr. Środow., 1993, 1, 27-39 (in Polish).
[5] Surygała J.: Petroleum today and tomorrow. Przem. Chem., 1999, 78, 123-135 (in Polish).
[6] Douaud A.: Tomorrow's engines and fuels. Hydrocarbon Proc., 1995, 2, 55-56.
[7] Namieśnik J. and Jaśkowski J.: Outline of Ecotoxicology. Eco-pharma, Gdańsk 1995 (in Polish).
[8] Surygała J. and Śliwka E.: Characteristics of petroleum products with respect to environmental impact (in Polish). Chem. Inż. Ekol. (Ecol. Chem. Eng.), 1999, 6, 2-14.
[9] Seńczuk W.: Toxicology. PZWL, Warszawa 2002 (in Polish).
[10] Różański H. and Włodkówic D.: Effects of the action of oil-derived pollution on the natural environment. Wszechświat. Pismo przyrodnicze, 2002, 7, 7-9 (in Polish).
[11] Minta M.: Dangerous compounds. Przegl. Komun., Gospodarka Komunalna i Ochrona Środowiska, 2000, 10, 24-33 (in Polish).
[12] Bąkowski W. and Bodzek M.: Multiring aromatic hydrocarbons in man's natural environment - origin, occurrence, toxicity, emission assessment in Poland. Arch. Ochr. Środow., 1988, 3, 197-211 (in Polish).
[13] Hotz P., Carbonnelle P., Haufroid V., Tschopp A., Buchet J.P. and Lauwerys R.: Biological monitoring of vehicle mechanics and other workers exposed to low concentrations of benzene. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health, 1997, 70, 29-44.
[14] Infante P.F.: Benzene and leukemia: The 0.1 ppm ACGIH proposed threshold limit value for benzene. Appl. Occup. Environ. Hyg., 1992, 7, 253-267.
[15] Nilsson R., Nordlinder R., Högstedt B., Karlsson A. and Järvholm B.: Symptoms, lung and liver function, blood counts, and genotoxic effect in coastal tanker crews. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health, 1997, 69, 392-404.
[16] Hallenbeck W.H. and Flowers R.E.: Evaluation of worker exposure to benzene. Bull. Environ. Contamin. Toxicol., 1992, 48, 327-331.
[17] Lisiewicz J. and Moszczyński P.: Benzene and human hematopoietic system. Post. Hig. Med. Dośw., 1986, 40, 45-51 (in Polish).
[18] Schimming E., Levsen K., Kölme C. and Schürmann W.: Biomonitoring of benzene and toluene in human blood by headspace-solid-phase microextraction. Fresenius J. Anal. Chem., 1999, 363, 88-94.
[19] Brugnone F., Perbellini L., Romeo L., Bainchin M., Tonello A., Pianalto D., Zambon D. and Zanon G.: Benzene in environmental air and human blood. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health, 1998, 71, 554-563.
[20] Moolenaar R.L., Hefflin B.J., Ashleh D.L., Middaugh J.P. and Etzel R.A.: Blood benzene concentrations in workers exposed to oxygenated fuel in Fairbanks, Alaska. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health, 1997, 69, 139-147.
[21] Sabbah I., Rebhun M. and Gerstl Z.: An independent prediction of the effect of dissolved organic matter on the transport of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. J. Contam. Hydrol., 2004, 75, 55-70.
[22] Kościelniak S.: Guidelines for the assessment of soil and subterranean water contamination with oil-derived products and other chemical substances in reclamation processes. PIOŚ, Warszawa 1995 (in Polish).
[23] Zieńko J.: Oil-derived substances in the natural environment. Assessment of the level of pollution in the soil and water environment. Ekol. i Technika, 1999, 7, 89-98 (in Polish).
[24] Czarnomski K.: Soil and subterranean water pollution with oil-derived products. Removal of environmental contaminants. EKO-Problemy, 1994, 4, 14-23 (in Polish).
[25] Leśkiewicz J.: Soil and water contamination with oil-derived products. Aura, 1995, (11), 6-12 (in Polish).
[26] Malicka M.: Review and analysis of recent results of reclamation processes involving bioreclamation methods. IV Międzynarod. Symp. Szkol., Efekty Likwidacji Zanieczyszczeń Naftowych, Ustronie Morskie 1996, 40-47 (in Polish).
[27] Ciesielczyk E., Demczak M., Biber E. and Piwowarczyk J.: Effectiveness of desorption method in soil cleaning from oil-derived products. Ochr. Pow. i Probl. Odpad., 1994, 4, 105-114 (in Polish).
[28] Wesołowski A.: Remediation of soils contaminated by toxic substances. Aura, 1996, (6), 19-26 (in Polish).
[29] Tavassoli Z. and Rodgers G.J.: Diffusive growth of single droplet with tree different boundary conditions. Eur. Phys. J. B, 2000, 14, 139-149.
[30] Malicka M.: Biotechnology methods in cleaning soils contaminated by oil-derived products and other toxic organic compounds. Gaz, Woda Techn. Sanit., 1994, 2, 40-52 (in Polish).
[31] Łomotowski J. and Szpindor A.: Modern Systems of Sewage Treatment. Arkady, Warszawa 1999 (in Polish).
[32] Hamme J.D., Singh A. and Ward O.P.: Recent advances in petroleum microbiology. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., 2003, 67, 503-519.
[33] Baj J. and Markiewicz Z.: Molecular Biology of Bacteria. Wyd. Nauk. PWN, Warszawa 2006 (in Polish).
[34] Meintanis C., Chalkou K.I., Kormas K.A. and Karagolini A.D.: Biodegradation of crude oil by thermophilic bacteria isolated from a volcano island. Biodegradation, 2006, 17, 105-111.
[35] Nowak J.: Bioremediation of soil from petroleum and oil-derived products. Biotechnologia, 2008, 80, 97-112. (in Polish) 
Web of Science 
YADDA/CEON