Enhanced spent oil bioremediation in contaminated soils using biostimulants: kinetics, half-life, and efficacy assessment.
Nna Orji C
Phytoremediation
Soil fouled by motor oil or fuel spills can be coaxed back to life using kitchen and farm scraps you might already compost — no industrial chemicals required.
When soil gets soaked in spent motor oil, it becomes toxic and hard to clean up. Scientists mixed in natural waste materials — the outer shells of egusi (a type of gourd), sawdust, and cassava peels — and found that soil bacteria broke down the oil much faster than untreated soil. The best combo removed nearly half the oil in six months, suggesting that waste products from farming and cooking could help heal polluted ground.
Key Findings
The combination of egusi peel and sawdust achieved the highest degradation rate at 0.269%/day, removing 48.42% of spent oil over 180 days.
All biostimulant treatments significantly outperformed the untreated control soil, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) across treatments.
Kinetic modeling revealed variable degradation behavior across treatments, indicating that different biostimulant types influence microbial breakdown through distinct mechanisms.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers found that mixing agro-waste materials — egusi peel, sawdust, and cassava peel — into oil-contaminated soil significantly sped up the natural breakdown of petroleum hydrocarbons over 180 days, with the egusi-sawdust combo achieving nearly 50% oil removal.
Abstract Preview
The persistence of petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated soils remains a significant environmental concern, necessitating effective and sustainable remediation strategies. This study evaluated the...
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Egusi, also spelled egushi, are the protein-rich seeds of certain cucurbitaceous plants, which, after being dried and ground, are used as a major ingredient in West African cuisine. A popular method of cooking, it is rooted in Yoruba culinary traditions.