Effect of spilled engine oil on soil quality indicators and physiological performance of maize, cowpea and sorghum

Abstract

Soil contamination through oil spillage accumulates in the soil and affect plant growth. The study was conducted to examine the effect of spilled engine oil on soil nutrients and germination of seed in the in the Central region of Ghana. Ten samples were collected randomly from selected mechanic and fitting sites in the Elmina municipality. A randomized complete block design using three test crops was used to evaluate soil quality indicators such as N, P, K and soil pH on the polluted soil using standard methods. Maize recorded 3.67, 18.5 and 3.7% germination in contaminated soils from Aponkyedasoro, Nippon and Afitafum, respectively. Cowpea and sorghum recorded no germination in these soils. The three crops showed higher germination rates in the control soils, with the highest being recorded in sorghum (72.2%), followed by cowpea (70.4%) with the least being recorded in maize (66.6%). The results showed that nitrogen (N) level in the experimental soil was very low (0.065-0.075%) as compared to the control (0.115%) in this study. However, polluted soil from Aponkyedasoro, Afitafum and Nippon recorded a higher level of phosphorus (60.84-31.58 µg/g) and potassium (0.52-0.58 µg/g) than control (P=20.97 µg/g; K=0.43 µg/g) despite having a low germination rate. Copper, zinc, sodium and iron concentration were higher in the engine oil-polluted soil. The study revealed that the concentration of heavy metals and spilled engine oil in the soil has a higher effect on plant development; hence, public awareness should be created of its detrimental effect on the ecosystem.

Evaluating the ecological consequences of heavy metal contamination in soil induced by spent engine oil and palm oil mill effluents for sustainable development

“…In contrast, the palm oil mill effluent site recorded the least iron concentrations. This consistency across multiple metals underscores the pervasive impact of engine oil effluents on soil quality [7]. Copper concentrations mirrored the trends observed for zinc, nickel, and iron, with soil contaminated by spent engine oil effluent exhibiting the highest mean values.…”

“…Heavy metals, including zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd), are often associated with industrial processes and can contaminate soil through various pathways, including direct discharge or accidental spills [5,6]. Of particular concern are spent engine oil and palm oil mill effluents, which are common byproducts of the automotive and agro-industrial sectors, respectively [4,7,8]. These effluents contain a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds, including heavy metals, and when not managed properly, can result in widespread environmental contamination.…”

Use of aided phytostabilization facilitate the production of aromatic plants in mining wastes as an environmental and socieconomic rehabilitation strategy

“…En ocasiones la concentración de estos elementos es muy elevada y puede provocar la contaminación de los suelos. Además, en muchas ocasiones estos emplazamientos mineros se encuentran rodeados de terrenos de cultivo que sufren los efectos de la agricultura intensiva, como pueden ser la compactación del suelo, la pérdida de materia orgánica y nutrientes, y la acumulación de agroquímicos (Asiamah et al, 2021), afectando también en la calidad de estos y en los ecosistemas que le rodean. Por tanto, para evitar la degradación del suelo se debe tener muy presente la importancia de este en el funcionamiento de los ecosistemas y su influencia en la sociedad, constituyendo un sistema complejo, tanto en estructura, como en dinámica y funciones, cuyo funcionamiento está sujeto a un complicado, a la vez que delicado, sistema de equilibrios necesario para la expresión plena de sus funciones.…”