Evaluating the use of spiny pigweed (Amaranthus spinosus) and water leaf (Talinum triangulare) for bioremediation of crude oil polluted soil in Ikarama Community in Bayelsa State Nigeria

Abstract

The potential soil amending impact of various concentrations of macerated roots of Amaranthus spinosus and Talinum triangulare singly and in combination on crude oil polluted soil of Ikarama community of Yenagoa in Bayelsa State Nigeria was investigated using gas chromatography technique for twelve weeks. The polluted soil was bagged in seven groups with the addition of 250g of Amaranthus spinosus root, 500g of Amaranthus spinosus root, 250g of Talinum triangulare root, 500g of Talinum triangulare root, 250g of combined roots of Amaranthus spinosus and Talinum Triangulare, 500g of combined roots of Amaranthus spinosus and Talinum Triangulare and labelled as follows Ga, Gb, Wa, Wb, GWa and GWb respectively; and a polluted and not amended bag which served as control. Each bag contained 1000g of polluted soil. The Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH), pH and enzyme concentration were analysed at intervals of four weeks for twelve weeks. The result showed that TPH reduction in the impacted soil varied between 29.5% for Ga and 1.79% for Wa after week 4.The results also showed that PAH reduction varied between 53% for Gb and 14.2% in GWa at week 12 (p<0.05). The results suggested that the roots of the plants Talinum triangulare and Amaranthus spinosus are best used singularly and not in combination in the bioremediation of TPH and PAHs.

Keywords: Amaranthus spinosus, Bioremediation, crude oil, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, Talinum triangulare, Total petroleum hydrocarbon