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Nature-Based Solutions for Restoring an Agricultural Area Contaminated by an Oil Spill
Elisabetta Franchi1, Anna Cardaci1, Ilaria Pietrini1
1Eni S.p.A, Research & Development, Environmental & Biological Laboratories, Via Maritano 26, 20097 S. Donato Milanese, Italy.
Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 9, 2022
Summary
Bioremediation effectively restored agricultural soil after a diesel spill, with treatments achieving up to 96% hydrocarbon biodegradation. Phytoremediation, enhanced by plant growth-promoting bacteria, further improved soil health and plant biomass.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Agronomy
Background:
- Diesel oil spills pose significant threats to agricultural land, necessitating effective remediation strategies.
- Bioremediation and phytoremediation offer promising eco-friendly solutions for restoring contaminated soils.
- Understanding microbial community dynamics is crucial for optimizing remediation processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of bioremediation and phytoremediation for restoring diesel-contaminated agricultural soil.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of different bioremediation techniques, including natural attenuation, landfarming, and bioaugmentation.
- To investigate the role of phytoremediation with specific plant species and the impact of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB).
Main Methods:
- Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted to test various bioremediation treatments on contaminated soil.
- Phytoremediation was assessed using Zea mays, Lupinus albus, and Medicago sativa, with and without PGPB.
- Metagenomic analysis was employed to study the microbial community composition and evolution during remediation.
Main Results:
- Bioremediation treatments achieved 83-96% biodegradation of linear hydrocarbons and 76-83% of branched hydrocarbons within 180 days.
- Phytoremediation enhanced hydrocarbon degradation by up to 18% compared to non-vegetated soils, attributed to root exudates stimulating microbial activity.
- Co-inoculation with PGPB significantly promoted plant growth, with Lupinus albus showing over 50% biomass increase.
Conclusions:
- Bioremediation, particularly landfarming with bioaugmentation, is a highly effective method for cleaning diesel-contaminated agricultural soils.
- Phytoremediation, especially when combined with PGPB, offers a synergistic approach to enhance soil restoration and plant establishment.
- Metagenomic insights into microbial communities aid in understanding and optimizing bioremediation strategies for contaminated environments.
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