Soil With Local P- Phytoremediation Of Crude Oil- Contaminated Plant Species

One of the most extensive challenges to soil is contamination with crude oil this normally occurs in areas that experience bulky oil production and transportation. In this research the feasibility of four plant species indigenous to Iraq; namely Pteris vittata, Epipremnum aureum, Mucuna bracteata, and Imperata cylindrica are examined for their application in phytoremediation of soil polluted by crude oil. Held at the University of Baghdad, a greenhouse experiment was done by inoculating the soil with 5% (w/w) crude oil and then comparing the efficiency of the above plant species within a period of six weeks. The crude oil content of the soils was determined with UV-Vis spectrophotometer, pH of the samples was measured with pH meters while moisture content was determined by gravimetric technique. The results shown all the species of plant reduced the crude oil concentration and the highest removal efficiency of 50%. 36%. Vegetated treatments are also reported to have shown changes of the pH and moisture levels of the soil in the study. These findings should therefore serve to endorse the ability of local plant species to cleanse crude oil contaminated soils; as well as open up the prospect of local plant species’ utilization in sustainable environmental management strategies in Iraq. A number of recommendations are provided for future studies focusing on the long-term consequences of using these plant species for phytoremediation or the ways to improve the efficiency of these processes.