Bioaccumulation Potential of Cynodon dactylon Linn. in Crude Oil Contaminated Soil.

Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the growth of Cynodon dactylon Linn. in soils contaminated by various concentrations of crude oil with a view to assessing its phytoremediating potential. The crude oil prepared at different concentrations of 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 (w/v) acted as contaminants on 3kg each of air-dried soil collected from the Obafemi Awolowo University Biological garden which is rich in organic matter. Each treatment was replicated 10 times in complete randomized design. Significantly (p<0.05) highest residual total petroleum hydrocarbon content (THC) uptake (39.26 ppm) was obtained in the plant at 12.5 ml contamination with the least residual total petroleum hydrocarbon content uptake (12.79 ppm) obtained at 2.5 ml contamination. With increased contamination, there was positive correlation with residual total petroleum hydrocarbon content uptake in the plants. No detectable amount of petroleum hydrocarbon content was found in the soil at the end of the experiment. The study concluded that C. dactylon plant could be effectively used in the phytoremediation of crude oil contaminated soil without addition of soil amendment.