Assessing the Hydrocarbon Biodegradation and Phytoremediation Trait of Glycine max L. in Used Lubricating Oil Polluted Soil

International Journal of Chemistry | Vol. 6, No. 1, January 2015 | pp. 1–8

DOI: 10.46882/2015/IJC/000076

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Assessing the Hydrocarbon Biodegradation and Phytoremediation Trait of Glycine max L. in Used Lubricating Oil Polluted Soil

Names of Authors: O. F. Olawal¹, H. de Vries²*

Authors’ Affiliations:
¹Department of Plant Biology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
²Department of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.

Abstract: The accidental spill of used lubricating oil from automotive repair hubs destroys soil porosity and introduces complex aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons into agricultural systems, demanding remediation. This field investigation studies the growth tolerance and phytoremediation efficiency of Glycine max L. (Soybean) cultivated in agricultural soils contaminated with used lubricating oil at dosages spanning 1.5% to 4.5% w/w. Vegetative growth metrics, residual total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and root zone microbial populations were monitored across a 12-week development cycle. G. max demonstrated moderate tolerance up to a 3.0% oil threshold, beyond which significant drops in root nodulation and total leaf chlorophyll occurred. Gas Chromatography (GC-FID) profiling demonstrated a 68.4% reduction in soil TPH levels within the rhizosphere of G. max rows, compared to a baseline 24.2% reduction observed in unplanted controls. Soil microbiological enumeration revealed a five-fold expansion of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria within the legume root zone. This confirms that root exudates and nitrogen-fixing bacteria interact to accelerate the structural degradation of oil hydrocarbons in contaminated terrains.

Keywords: Used lubricating oil; Glycine max; Total petroleum hydrocarbons; Phytoremediation; Rhizosphere effects; Hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria

Manuscript Timeline: Received: April 02, 2014; Revised: May 15, 2014; Accepted: June 10, 2014; Published: January 03, 2015.

Citation: Olawal, O. F., & de Vries, H. (2015). Assessing the Hydrocarbon Biodegradation and Phytoremediation Trait of Glycine max L. in Used Lubricating Oil Polluted Soil. International Journal of Chemistry, 6(1), 1–8.

Subscribe to read the full article: https://www.internationalscholarsjournals.org/subscribe-to-read