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Biological Remediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil: Suitability of Different Technologies Applied in Mesocosm and Microcosm Trials

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Fungi as Bioremediators

Part of the book series: Soil Biology ((SOILBIOL,volume 32))

Abstract

Here, we report the results of a study aiming at searching for a suitable biological technology for petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) removal from a soil with weathered contamination. Different experiments were carried out, in parallel: a pilot project, in mesocosm-scale trials, which took place in the environment of a petroleum refinery, and within the same period, shorter experiments were also carried out outdoor, at microcosm scale, at lab environment. The following specific aims were persecuted: (1) comparison of the effectiveness of phytoremediation (different plants were tested, in parallel, for this purpose) with bioremediation (by means of indigenous microorganisms only—natural attenuation—and by using bioaugmentation) and (2) a possible synergistic effect resulting of simultaneous application of more than one remediation technology (phytoremediation, bioremediation and soil amendments). In all studies, the potential of each tested technology for remediation of recent and old contamination was also investigated, in parallel, since the degree of bioavailability of PHC can be very different in the two cases. The more relevant conclusion was that the salt marsh plant Scirpus maritimus could improve the efficiency of PHC degradation, relatively to natural attenuation. In the presence of this plant, degradation of PHC was not only faster but also extensive to weathered contamination, to which bioremediation was not effective, being particularly efficient for the heavier PHC from weathered contamination.

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Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia for the Ph.D. scholarship of M. N. Couto (SFRH/31816/2006) that was co-financed by POPH/FSE and Refinaria do Porto (GALP Energy) for financial support and logistical support by C. Santos.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIIMAR/CIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123, Porto, Portugal

    M. Nazaré F. Couto, M. Clara P. Basto & M. Teresa S. D. Vasconcelos

  2. Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal

    M. Nazaré F. Couto & M. Clara P. Basto

Authors
  1. M. Nazaré F. Couto
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  2. M. Clara P. Basto
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  3. M. Teresa S. D. Vasconcelos
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Correspondence to M. Nazaré F. Couto .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agriculture, Dept. of Plant Pathology, Tarbiat Modares University, Jalal Ale Ahmad Highway, Tehran, 14115, Iran

    Ebrahim Mohammadi Goltapeh

  2. Faculty of Agriculture, Dep Plant Protection, Urmia University, no street, Urmia, 165, Iran

    Younes Rezaee Danesh

  3. Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, E-3 Block, Sector 125, Noida, 201303, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ajit Varma

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Couto, M.N.F., Basto, M.C.P., Vasconcelos, M.T.S.D. (2013). Biological Remediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil: Suitability of Different Technologies Applied in Mesocosm and Microcosm Trials. In: Goltapeh, E., Danesh, Y., Varma, A. (eds) Fungi as Bioremediators. Soil Biology, vol 32. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33811-3_9

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