Abstract

HERNANDEZ VALENCIA, Ismael; NAVAS, Gabriela  and  INFANTE, Carmen. PHYTOREMEDIATION OF A SOIL CONTAMINATED WITH EXTRA HEAVY PETROLEUM BY Megathyrsus maximus. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2017, vol.33, n.3, pp.495-503. ISSN 0188-4999.  https://doi.org/10.20937/rica.2017.33.03.12.

Soil contamination by petroleum is an environmental problem and phytoremediation has proved to be a promising method for treating such soils. However, selection of species for use in phytoremediation is a key factor for its successful application. The aim of this study was to investigate the phytoremediation potential of the grass Megathyrsus maximus in heavy crude-oil contaminated soils. Temporal changes on total hydrocarbons and soil microbiological activity (enzyme activity of dehydrogenase, microbial biomass carbon and basal respiration) were evaluated in two treatments of oil contaminated soil, planted and unplanted with M maximus, over a 120-day period. Differences between both treatments were small but significant. Hydrocarbon concentration was reduced 17.1 % in planted soils and 9.8 % in unplanted treatments. Both saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon fractions were reduced in planted treatments but aromatics was the only fraction reduced in unplanted treatment. Biochemical and microbiological indicators varied temporally in the planted treatment but the unplanted treatment only showed differences for dehydrogenase enzyme activity and the metabolic coefficient. Microbial activity was always higher or similar in the planted treatment compared to the unplanted one, probably as a result of the rhizosphere favoring this activity.

Keywords : pollution; bioremediation; pastures; microbial activity; tropic.

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