Efficacy of E-Safe Product in Decontamination of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soil

Abstract

Effectiveness of E-safe© product in the recovery of soil contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) was investigated at the Teaching and Research Laboratory of the Department of Microbiology, Hezekiah University, Umudi, Imo State. The study was conducted on soil sample collected from aged crude oil polluted site in Rivers State.The top soil (0-30cm) was sieved using a 5mm mesh to remove gravel and debris prior to analysis. The pH, Phosphate, Nitrate, and TPH levels in the soil were analyzed using well established standard analytical protocols. E-safe product was artificially spiked in each of the 4kg soil at 0 ml, 6 ml, 12 ml, 24 ml, and 48 ml and arranged in a Completely Randomized Design. The percentage degradation of TPH in soil was monitored for a period of four (4) weeks. Results obtained showed that the soil pH was slightly acidic to basic. The findings showed Nitrate (4.97 – 24.42 ppm) and phosphate (0.134 – 0.53 ppm) ranges for both treated and control soils within the period. About 88.41% TPH degradation was achieved at 48 ml followed by 24 ml (75.63%) while the least percentage removal of TPH was recorded in the control (2.30%). The study further showed that soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbon altered soil physicochemistry, but more than 50% of the polluted soils were recovered by treatment with E-safe product at 48 ml, 24 ml and 12 ml respectively. The mineral components of the E-safe product could have acted as effective substance in the total removal of oil contaminants in the contaminated soil.