Env Exp Biol (2013) 11: 145–150

A comparative assessment of the crude oil-remediating potential of Cynodon dactylon and Eleusine indica

Abstract

The study was performed to compare the crude oil-remediating potential of Cynodon dactylon and Eleusine indica in a screenhouse. The experimental design was completely randomized. Treatments used were crude oil concentrations: 0 (control), 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 mL in 3 kg of soil, denoted as T₀, T_2.5, T_5.0, T_7.5, T_10.0 and T_12.5, respectively. Twelve weeks after planting, plants were harvested, weighed fresh and oven-dried at 80°C to constant mass. Total hydrocarbon content in plant and soil samples, and soil physicochemical parameters were determined. Student’s t-test was used for comparison between grasses while ANOVA and Duncan Multiple Range Test were used to test significant differences between treatment mean values at 5% level of significance. Fresh and dry mass were significantly higher in E. indica than C. dactylon. Total hydrocarbon content in soil and plant were significantly lower in soil under the E. indica than C. dactylon. Soil pH and exchangeable acidity did not significantly differ in soil under the grasses, except in treatment T2.5. Soil organic carbon was higher in the soil where C. dactylon was planted (36.86 to 46.45 g kg^–1) than in soil under E. indica. N, P and cations did not significantly differ in soil under the grasses. It was concluded that E. indica has a higher crude oil pollutant remediating potential on soil than C. dactylon.