Assessing the Hydrocarbon Biodegradation and Phytoremediation Trait of Zea mays L. in Spent Engine Oil Polluted Soil

International Journal of Chemistry | Vol. 3, No. 7, July 2012 | pp. 50–57

DOI: 10.46882/2012/IJC/000046

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Assessing the Hydrocarbon Biodegradation and Phytoremediation Trait of Zea mays L. in Spent Engine Oil Polluted Soil

Names of Authors: O. F. Olawal¹, K. C. Onyekwelu²*

Authors’ Affiliations:
¹Department of Plant Biology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
²Department of Electronic and Chemical Engineering, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria.

Abstract: The discharge of spent engine oil from mechanical workshops destroys soil structure and introduces non-volatile organic pollutants into agricultural lands, demanding remediation. This field study investigates the plant growth response and hydrocarbon degradation capacity of Zea mays L. (Maize) grown in soils artificially contaminated with spent engine oil at levels of 2.0% to 6.0% w/w. Plant vegetative parameters, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and soil microbial populations were monitored over a 12-week cultivation cycle. Z. mays showed high tolerance to oil stress up to a 4.0% threshold, beyond which significant drops in stem height and dry biomass occurred. Gas Chromatography (GC-FID) analysis showed a 72.4% reduction in soil TPH content within the rhizosphere of Z. mays pots, compared to a baseline 26.5% reduction observed in unplanted control soil systems. Microbial enumerations revealed a four-fold increase in the population of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria (HUB) within the rhizosphere, confirming that root exudates actively stimulate microbial proliferation, accelerating the degradation of complex oil hydrocarbons.

Keywords: Spent engine oil; Zea mays; Total petroleum hydrocarbons; Phytoremediation; Rhizosphere; Hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria

Manuscript Timeline: Received: August 11, 2011; Revised: September 20, 2011; Accepted: October 10, 2011; Published: July 05, 2012.

Citation: Olawal, O. F., & Onyekwelu, K. C. (2012). Assessing the Hydrocarbon Biodegradation and Phytoremediation Trait of Zea mays L. in Spent Engine Oil Polluted Soil. International Journal of Chemistry, 3(7), 50–57.

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