Assessment of Ecological Condition of Haplic Chernozem Calcic Contaminated with Petroleum Hydrocarbons during Application of Bioremediation Agents of Various Natures

Abstract

Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination disrupts ecological and agricultural soil functions. For their restoration, bioremediation agents of various natures are used (nonorganic or organic fertilizers, bacterial preparations, adsorbing agents) featuring different remediation mechanisms (adsorption or biostimulation of petroleum hydrocarbon decomposition). The objective of this research is the assessment of the ecological condition of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated Haplic Chernozem Calcic after the application of bioremediation agents of various natures. The influence of glauconite, nitroammophos, sodium humate, the bacterial preparation “Baikal EM-1”, and biochar on the intensity of petroleum hydrocarbon decomposition and the ecological condition of Haplic Chernozem Calcic was analyzed. The ecological condition of Haplic Chernozem Calcic was assessed based on the residual content of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and the following biological parameters: changes in the number of soil bacteria, activity of catalase and dehydrogenases, soil respiration (CO2 emission), germinating ability, lengths of roots and shoots, and integrated index of the biological state. The minimum concentrations of residual petroleum hydrocarbons in soil were observed after the use of biochar (44% from initial content) and glauconite (49%). The biological properties of soils were affected in different ways. Soil respiration was stimulated by 3-6-fold after adding nitroammophos. Indices for the intensity of the early growth and germination of radish in soil with glauconite, sodium humate, and biochar were increased by 37–125% (p < 0.01) compared with the reference value. After the application of biochar, sodium humate, and “Baikal EM-1”, the number of soil bacteria was 66–289% higher (p < 0.01) than the reference value. At the same time, the activities of catalase and dehydrogenases were inhibited by up to 35% in variants with bioremediation agents and petroleum hydrocarbons relative to the reference values. The maximum stimulation of the biological activity (as the integrated index of the biological state (IISB)) of Haplic Chernozem Calcic was observed after applying sodium humate and biochar, with 70 and 66% (p < 0.01) increases from the reference value, respectively. Considering the net cost of bioremediation agents, the maximum cost efficiency is achieved with “Baikal EM-1”, sodium humate, and biochar: 110, 527, and 847 USD·103/ha, respectively. After using Baikal EM-1”, sodium humate, and biochar, the ecological state of Haplic Chernozem Calcic was restored.