IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

IIARD INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (IJGEM )

E-ISSN 2504-8821
P-ISSN 2695-1878
VOL. 10 NO. 6 2024
DOI: 10.56201/ijgem.v10.no6.2024.pg164.174

---

Water Star Grass Enhanced Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Polluted Soil

Egbo Walamam Mansi and Yaguo Eremasi Benjamin Ikele

---

Abstract

The Niger Delta environment in the south- South region of Nigeria is in dire need of remediation on account of petroleum hydrocarbon pollution. The wide spread pollution of the region is due to the frequent and huge magnitude of oil spillages. The aim of this study is to determine the petroleum hydrocarbon pollution bioremediation enhancement potential of water star grass compost. Water star grass was harvested from invaded land in Yenagoa, then chopped into pieces and the biomass was compost for three months. Different amount of the mature compost was used to treat soil spiked with engine oil in a set of 8 replicates in plastic bioreactors. The pH, electrical conductivity (EC), Total Organic carbon (TOC), Total Nitrogen (TN), Phosphate (P), Potassium (K), total Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations and hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria and fungi populations in the treated soil sample in each experimental set up Labeled Cont, A, B,C,D,E,F and G, were monitored every two weeks for a period of 5 months. At the end of the 5th month, the results show that Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration reduced by 22.96% in the control, 87.88% in set up A, 91.78% in B, 94.15% in C, 94.65% in D, 98.33% in E, 99.11% in F and 99.45 in G. There was also a progressive decline in Total Organic Carbon in each set up in proportion to the TPH removal. It is therefore concluded that water star grass biomass compost is a potential supplement for the bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon polluted soil

keywords:

Water Star Grass, Petroleum Hydrocarbon, Pollution, Enhanced and Bioremediation

---

References:

Abu, G, O, and Ogiji, P.A. (1996). Initial test of a bioremediation scheme for the clean up of an
oil polluted water in a rural community in Nigeria. Bioresource Technology.58: 7 – 12.
Adams, G. O., Tawari, P. F and Igelengha, E. (2014) Bioremediation of spent oil contaminated
soil using poultry litter. Research journal of Engineering and Applied Science, 3(2). 118
–124
Ambrosoli, R., Petruzzeli, L., Minati, J. L., Marsan, F.A.. (2005). Anaerobic PAH degradation in
soil by mixed bacteria consortium under denitrifying conditions. Chemosphere 60, 1231
– 1236.
Ebiegberi Oborie and HyacienthOgunka Nwankwoala (2017). Determination of Groundwater

Flow Direction in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Access at www.researchgate.net
Egbo Walamam Mansi and Ambrose Inivie Francis (2023). Efficiency of Municipal Drainage

Biosludge Enhanced Bioremediation of Crude Oil Polluted Soil. World Journal of

Innovation and Modern Technology. 7(1): 87-97
Ekpali Saint (2022). TimeLine: Half a century of oil spills in Nigeria’s Ogoni land.Retrieved

from
www.aljazeera.com/feature
Gerardo Bandera (2023). How oil spills affect humans and the environment. Available at www.fairplanet.org.story/oceanpollution

Gigi Nwagbo (2017). Oil pollution in the Niger Delta. Course work for PH240, Stanford University
Iheoma, M. A., Neo, O and Temitope T.A. (2015) Bioremediation of crude oil polluted soil
using CNB
Tech. htt:// dx.doi.org//0.5772/62116
Jorgensen, K. S., Puutstinen, J. AND Suorette, A.M. (2000). Bioremediation of petroleum
hydrocarbon contaminated soil by composting in biopile. Environmental pollution, 107;
245 -254

Odokuma, L.O and Okey, V.I. (2005) Biodegradability of electrostatic photocopier toners.
Tropical Fresh water biology. 14: 95 – 105
USEPA (2006): A citizen’s guide to bioremediation. – United States Environmental Protection
Agency
(USEPA),
Washington
DC.,
United
States.
http://www.epa.gov/tio/download/citizens/bioremediation.pdf. Uploaded on the 24th
November, 2006. Accessed on the 8th April, 2016
Wang, X.Y., Feng, J. and Zhao, J.M. (2010) Effects of crude oil residuals on soil chemical
properties in oil contaminated site. Momoge wetland China. Environmental monitoring
assessment, 161 (1): Pp. 271 -- 280
Wang, Y., Fong, J., Lin, Q., Lyu, X., Wang, X., and Wang, G. (2013) Effects of crude oil
contamination on soil physical and chemical properties in Momoge wetland of China.
Chin Geogra Sc. 23 (6): .Pp. 708 – 715.

DOWNLOAD PDF

---

Back