Assessment of the agricultural plants’ phytoremediation potential under oil pollution of the soil

Abstract

Background. Nowadays phytoremediation is one of the most relevant and promising methods of cleaning and restoring oil-contaminated lands. The advantage of this method is environmental safety and minimization of financial costs. Plants have the ability to accumulate and metabolize organic pollutants and increase the biological activity of the soil. There are many studies devoted to assessing the remidiation properties of plants growing on various types of oil-contaminated soils. However, there is no consensus on the choice of plant objects for cleaning land from organic pollutants. In this regard, the purpose of this work was to assess the phytoremediation potential of agricultural plants with oil pollution of the soil. Materials and methods. Plants of the Poaceae family and the Legume family (Fabaceae) were planted in soil contaminated with oil at concentrations of 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8 %. The phytotoxicity of the contaminated soil, the total content of heavy metals were determined, the resistance of plants to the conditions of long-term oil pollution was assessed, and the accumulation coefficient of heavy metals was calculated. Results. Relatively stable germination of plant seeds and growth of seedlings were established in alfalfa and rye when the soil was contaminated with oil at a concentration of 4 %. Alfalfa sowing has a lower capacity for phytoextraction of heavy metals in comparison with sowing rye, but it absorbs arsenic better. Conclusions. Sowing alfalfa and sowing rye can be recomended for cultivation alternately or in a grass mixture for phytoextraction of lands exposed to oil pollution.

Keywords

• sowing rye
• sowing alfalfa
• phytoremidation
• phytotoxicity
• oil pollution
• heavy metals