Crude oil polluted soils phytoremediation with native grass

Abstract

Phytoremediation of soil contaminated with petroleum products is a technology that can restore of damaged soil. The use of recyclable materials such as stabilized municipal sludge stimulates the plant growth on crude oil polluted land is a simple joint sustainable waste management. Besides the nutrient deficient polluted soils, sewage sludge brings biocenosis to improve the destroyed soil bacterial community. To identify plant species that increase the degree of remediation of polluted soils with 6.4% total petroleum hydrocarbons two species of native wild plants Hordeum murinum and Cynodon dactylon have been investigated. Polluted soil treatment was performed with 25 t/ha stabilized sewage sludge in the absence/presence of 2 t/ha indigenous volcanic tuff. The implication of the finding of the vegetable cover studies is that 120 days growth of plants can lead to cleanup of crude oil polluted and fertilized soils and reduction of pollution level at 20 cm depth with 55% for Hordeum spp. and with 65% for Cynodon spp. Addition of tuff mixed with sewage sludge increased reduction of crude oil to 60% for Hordeum spp. and 76% for Cynodon spp. The tolerance and adaptability of plants in polluted soil makes each of these species a tool for the remediation-polluted soils.