Assessment of Bermudagrass Cultivars for Phytoremediation of Petroleum Contaminated Soils

Abstract

Phytoremediation is an alternative to other technologies for the clean up of petroleum contaminated soil. Ten vegetatively propagated cultivars of bermudagrass were examined for their potential to reduced oil sludge contaminated in soil and select the most efficient cultivar. Soil was mixed with different rates of oil sludge (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% (w/w) to obtain 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs). Ten cultivars of bermudagrass were planted in pots filled with respected mixtures of soil and sludge. Shoot and root weights and percent reduction in the contamination level were measured after six months. Shoot weight reduced as contamination level increased. The root weight increased up to 6% TPHs level. As contamination level increased, the percent reduction in contamination increased. Reduction was 37.7, 41.0, 35.0, 34.0, 45.0, 41.3, 34.5, 41.3, 34.5, 41.3, 55.0, and 43.6% under Tifdwarf, Tifgreen, Tifway, ISF1, ISF2, JP1, JP2, and Midlawn, 3200W18-4 and 3200W19-9 at the highest contamination level 3200W18-4 was the most effective cultivar followed by ISF2, 3200W19-9, JPI, and Midlawn, respectively. The results suggested that bermudagrass is an efficient species for phytoremediation of petroleum contaminated soil and the selection for more tolerant and efficient cultivar is possible.

Axonopus compressus (Sw.) P. Beauv. A native grass species for phytoremediation of hydrocarbon‐contaminated soil in Assam, India

“…Merkl et al 21, 22 showed enhanced degradation of crude oil under the influence of a tropical grass after only a few months, Muratova et al 23 showed TPH reduction up to 52% during 3 years of rye cultivation. Razmjoo and Adavi24 found 40% TPH reduction by bermudagrass cultivars in petroleum contaminated soils after 6 months. In the present study, A. compressus decreased TPH by 70% in TA and 40% in TC compared with 11% and 9% in TB and TD, respectively, over the 360 days.…”

Enzymatic defense of Cyperus brevifolius in hydrocarbons stress environment and changes in soil properties

“…For example, Muratova et al 25 reported up to 52% reduction in oil and grease contents during three years of rye cultivation. Additionally, Razmjoo et al 26 found 40% reduction in TOG levels by employing Bermuda grass by the end of six months of experimental trials. www.nature.com/scientificreports/ Soil enzyme activity and beneficial bacterial population.…”

Plant growth, root distribution and non-aqueous phase liquid phytoremediation at the pore-scale

“…Although not statistically significant, the increase in average root biomass, compared to a corresponding decrease in average shoot biomass, in response to increasing mineral oil suggests the plant put more energy into root growth than shoot growth due to stress induced by oil contamination. Oil can not only reduce the amount of water and oxygen available for plant growth (Kaur et al, 2017) but also can interfere with plant-water relations by direct physical contact (coating of root tissues) thus negatively affecting shoot growth (Razmjoo and Adavi, 2012). Such phenomena affect the local biogeochemistry, for example changing nutrient dynamics (Xu and Johnson, 1997) which in turn cause changes in root morphology similar to those observed here (Franco et al, 2011;Hermans et al, 2006).…”