Biostimulation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soil Using Organic and Inorganic Amendments

Abstract

The most common approaches for the in-situ bioremediation of contaminated sites worldwide are bioaugmentation and biostimulation. Biostimulation has often proved more effective for chronically contaminated sites. This study examined the effectiveness of optimized water hyacinth compost in comparison with other organic and inorganic amendments for the remediation of crude oil-polluted soils. Water hyacinth was found to be rich in nutrients necessary to stimulate microbial growth and activity. An organic geochemical analysis revealed that all amendments in this study increased total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) biodegradation by ≥75% within 56 days, with the greatest biodegradation (93%) occurring in sterilized soil inoculated with optimized water hyacinth compost. This was followed by polluted soil amended with a combination of spent mushroom and water hyacinth composts (SMC + WH), which recorded a TPH biodegradation of 89%. Soil amendment using the inorganic fertilizer NPK (20:10:10) resulted in 86% TPH biodegradation. On the other hand, control samples (natural attenuation) recorded only 4% degradation. A molecular analysis of residual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) showed that the 16 PAHs designated by the US EPA as priority pollutants were either completely or highly degraded in the combined treatment (SMC + WH), indicating the potential of this amendment for the environmental remediation of soils contaminated with recalcitrant organic pollutants.

The Usability of Sorbents in Restoring Enzymatic Activity in Soils Polluted with Petroleum-Derived Products

“…Soil pollution with petroleum-derived products causes disorders in soil metabolism [ 116 ], which need to be considered from the perspective of sustainable development [ 100 ], health of soil and plants [ 29 , 33 , 34 , 96 ] and the feasibility of homeostasis restoration in the ecosystem [ 117 , 118 ]. For these reasons, it is essential to determine the activity of soil enzymes in real time when establishing soil quality [ 19 , 75 , 76 , 102 , 119 , 120 ].…”

Effects of exogenous self-made active humic acid manure on physical and chemical properties and soil bacteria of continuous cropping obstacle soil in Capsicum annuum L

“…Numerous studies have been conducted on pepper fertilization technology, demonstrating that the application of organic fertilizer, microbial agents, or a combination of reduced chemical fertilizer and organic fertilizer can promote the growth and development of pepper fruits, enhance their quality, and improve overall yield and e ciency (Wen et al 2020; Udume et al 2023).…”

Bioremediation of Automotive Residual Oil-Contaminated Soils by Biostimulation with Enzymes, Surfactant, and Vermicompost

“…Generally, bioaugmentation and biostimulation are the most common techniques worldwide for the bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils performed in situ or ex situ. Bioaugmentation is the intentional supplementation of contaminant-specific degrading microorganisms in contaminated soil to increase the biodegradation rate [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Biostimulation involves the addition of nutrients or fertilizers (amendments) to stimulate the growth and the metabolic and degradative activities of microorganisms present in contaminated soils (indigenous microbes) since there is generally a scarcity of nitrogen and phosphorus in the contaminated sites, limiting the availability of these nutrients for the survival of the contaminant-degrading microorganisms [ 8 ].…”

“…Although bioaugmentation has shown more favorable results than biostimulation, it has also been reported that biostimulation shows better results than bioaugmentation when performed using ideal conditions of temperature, pH, and concentration, among other parameters [ 4 , 8 , 9 ]. Organic and inorganic fertilizers are nutrients used in the biostimulation technique.…”

“…Organic and inorganic fertilizers are nutrients used in the biostimulation technique. However, organic fertilizers are more effective than inorganic fertilizers since they increase organic matter content and microbial activity in contaminated soil [ 8 ]. One of the organic fertilizers used in this technique is vermicompost.…”