Abstract
Oil spillage is a challenging global problem which requires urgent search for effective clean-up strategies to conserve the ecosystem. In this study, effects of crude oil pollution and bioremediation treatments on soil health and plant growth were investigated. Agricultural soil was polluted with crude oil ranging from 5.0 to 25.0 mL per kg soil. Three food crops, maize (Zea mays), soybean (Glycine max) and amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) were planted and grown in three groups; Group I comprised plants on polluted soils without any treatment. Group II were plants on polluted soils exposed to bioremediation treatments using biostimulation and bioaugmentation methods. Group III comprised plants on clean soil which served as control. Experiments were carried out in triplicates. Soil enzyme activities and physicochemical parameters were determined using standard assay and evaluation procedures. Growth parameters, proximate composition and oxidative stress indicators of maize, soybean and amaranth plants were monitored over 120 d experimental period. Results indicated significant inhibition (p &lt 0.05) of activity of soil enzymes (dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, arylsulphatase, amidase and protease) by crude oil pollution. The trend was significantly reversed in bioremediated soils with significant enhancement of enzyme activity. Height of plant and number of leaves significantly decreased (p &lt 0.05) with increasing concentration of crude oil polluted soil. Improvement in plant growth parameters was recorded in soils bioremediated with inorganic and organic fertilizers. Levels of oxidative stress indicators (superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase) and malondialdehyde from stem of plants grown on bioremediated soils significantly reduced compared with polluted soil. GC-MS analysis revealed more significant level of crude oil degradation in soil bioremediated with inorganic fertilizer (NPK). Results established the efficacy of bioremediation treatments in alleviating toxicity of crude oil pollution in agricultural soils and revealed biostimulation using NPK and cow dung (organic fertilizer) as a more effective strategy.
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