petroleum products in soil: a systematic analysis of sources, component composition, and control methods (literature review)

Objective. A comprehensive analysis of current data on oil pollution of soils as a source of hygienic hazard, including an assessment of the impact on human health and analysis of the regulatory framework in the Russian Federation.A review of more than forty scientific reports from Google Scholar, CyberLeninka, eLibrary, PubMed, and Scopus databases was conducted. The methodology included an assessment of the sources and extent of pollution, an analysis of the component composition and behavior of pollutants in soil, and a critique of the regulatory framework (SanPiN 1.2.3685–21, SanPiN 2.1.3684–21).Oil pollution was shown to lead to the degradation of soil ecosystems and poses a multicomponent hazard to the health of occupational groups and the population living in oil-producing regions. The current sanitary regulations was found to fail to contain Maximum Allowable Concentrations (MACs) for oil and petroleum products in soil, which is a serious limitation for effective sanitary control. The existing methods for the total determination of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil are often non-selective and lack proper metrological certification for hygienic research.Conclusion. Addressing the hygienic problem of oil pollution of soils requires consolidated efforts in the following areas: development and approval of differentiated MACs for oil and main petroleum products in soil; improvement and metrological certification of analytical control methods; implementation of scientifically based remediation technologies considering regional specifics. A comprehensive approach is a prerequisite for ensuring environmental safety and preserving public health.Contributions: Ibragimova S.Sh. – research concept and design, data collection and processing, text writing, editing; Ushakova O.V. – research concept and design, text writing, editing; Evseeva I.S. – data collection and processing, text writing, editing; Vodianova M.A. – research concept, editing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.Funding. The study was performed within the framework of the state assignment.Received: October 1, 2025 / Accepted: December 2, 2025 / Published: January 15, 2026