Phytoremedation of crude oil contaminated soil

Phytoremedation is a new technology for cleaning contaminated soil with crude oil. Oil pollution is a serious problem worldwide; the aim of this study was to use plant for Phytoremediation. Leguminous plant Acacia seiberiana Tausch was tested for it is efficiency to remediate soil polluted with 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2% (w/w) crude oil and it is ability to enhance the activity of soil microorganisms. Plant parameters, degradation percentage, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon and bacterial count were measured. Results showed that concentration of the crude oil did not affect plant growth indicating the significant successful of Phytoremediation process. Shoot length and shoot and root weights have not been negatively affected by oil, compared to control plant, up to a concentration of 1.5% for up to six months. Crude oil degradation percentages were found to be in the range of 49-79%. The highest degradation percentage was recorded for the soil collected from underneath A.sieberiana Tausch seedlings (79%).