Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench and Hordeum vulgare capability to reduce petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated soil
Document Type : Original Article
Abstract
petroleum compounds are one of the most frequently encountered pollutants in oil refineries soil. Phytoremediation has become a cost-effective alternative to physicochemical methods of remediation,where feasible. In this study a greenhouse experimentwas conducted to evaluate the phytoremediation of petroleum contaminated soil using Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench and Hordeum vulgare. After 94 day of plants growth, shoot and root dry weight, total and oil-degrading bacteria, microbial activity, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons(TPHs) residual concentrations and removal percentages were determined. TPHs have caused a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in shoot dry weight by more than 50%.There was significant difference in bacterial counts (total and oil-degrading bacteria) of planted soils than control. Microbial activity in the rhizosphere of Sorghum was more than Hordeum in contaminated soil but no significant differences were observed in the rhizosphere of Sorghum and Hordeum in control soil. The concentration of TPHS decreased by 52% - 64% in 94 days when the contaminated soil was cultivated with Sorghum and Hordeum, representing an improvement of 30% compared to contaminated soil without plants. Thus, Sorghum and Hordeum could be high efficient for removal of petroleum from oil-contaminated soils
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