Corn Cob Compost Stimulated Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Polluted Soil

Abstract

Petroleum hydrocarbon pollution in soil and ground water has serious adverse effects on the environment and human health. Bioremediation is a viable and effective response to soil contamination with petroleum hydrocarbon and can be positively enhanced by the use of organic waste. The aim of this study is to investigate corn cob as possible supplement for the stimulation of bioremediation of hydrocarbon pollution in soil. Agricultural soil sample was collected from farm land and prepared for the study. Ikg of the prepared soil sample was measured in eight replicates into plastic bioreactors labeled CONTR, A, B, C, D,E, F and G). The soil sample in each bioreactor (bowl) was spiked with equal of quantity of engine oil dissolved in gasoline and allowed to stand for two weeks to acclimatize. The spiked soil samples in A, B, C,D, E, F and G bioreactors were then treated with different of amount (100g, 200g, 300g, 400g, 500g, 600g and700g) of matured corn cob compost respectively. While the control (CONTR) was not treated. Laboratory analysis indicates that each experimental set up had an initial Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) Concentration of 60,163.09Ppm. Result of the regular monitoring of soil physicochemical parameters showed that at the end of three months (84 days) TPH concentration reduced to 53567.91Ppm in the control, 15428.48Ppm in A, 9616.15Ppm in B, 6710.31Ppm in C, 3894.33Ppm in D, 2805.28Ppm in E, 1694.80 in F and 978.51Ppm in G. A Further analysis of the biostimulation effectiveness showed the TPH biodegradation effectiveness of 10.96% was achieved in the control, 74.36% in A, 84.02% in B, 88.85% in C, 93.53% in D, 95.34 in E, 97.17% in F and 98.37% TPH removal effectiveness was achieved in set up G. From the results obtained, it is concluded that the corn cob compost significantly stimulated the bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon in the treated soil samples; however the quantity of the compost determines the rate of TPH remova

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