Assessment of Vinca rosea (Apocynaceae) Potentiality for Remediation of Crude Petroleum Oil Pollution of Soil

Ahmad K. Hegazy (), Zahra S. Hussein, Nermen H. Mohamed, Gehan Safwat, Mohamed A. El-Dessouky, Ilinca Imbrea () and Florin Imbrea
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Ahmad K. Hegazy: Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
Zahra S. Hussein: Faculty of Biotechnology, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Cairo 11281, Egypt
Nermen H. Mohamed: Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute, Cairo 11727, Egypt
Gehan Safwat: Faculty of Biotechnology, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Cairo 11281, Egypt
Mohamed A. El-Dessouky: Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Biochemistry Division, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
Ilinca Imbrea: Forestry Department, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Technologies, University of Life Sciences “King Michael I” from Timisoara, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
Florin Imbrea: Crop Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences “King Michael I” from Timisoara, 300645 Timisoara, Romania

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 14, 1-17

Abstract: Petroleum oil pollution is a worldwide problem that results from the continuous exploration, production, and consumption of oil and its products. Petroleum hydrocarbons are produced as a result of natural or anthropogenic practices, and their common source is anthropogenic activities, which impose adverse effects on the ecosystem’s nonliving and living components including humans. Phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-polluted soils is an evolving, low-cost, and effective alternative technology to most traditional remediation methods. The objective of this study is to evaluate the phytoremediation potentiality of Vinca rosea for crude oil-contaminated soil by understanding its properties and involvement in the enhanced degradation of crude oil. The remediation potentiality was determined by evaluating the total petroleum hydrocarbon degradation percentage (TPH%) and changes in the molecular type composition of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon fractions. TPH% was estimated gravimetrically, and changes in the molecular type composition of saturated and aromatic fractions were measured using gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Sulfur concentration was measured using X-ray fluorescence. Cadmium and lead quantification was measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). The results revealed that V. rosea enhanced total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) degradation and altered the molecular composition of the crude oil. The saturated hydrocarbons increased and the aromatic hydrocarbons decreased. The saturated hydrocarbon fraction in the crude oil showed a wider spectrum of n-paraffin peaks than the oil extracted from unplanted and V. rosea -planted soils. Polyaromatic hydrocarbon degradation was enhanced in the presence of V. rosea , which was reflected in the increase of monoaromatic and diaromatic constituents. This was parallel to the increased sulfur levels in planted soil. The determination of sulfur and heavy metal content in plant organs indicated that V. rosea can extract and accumulate high amounts from polluted soils. The ability of V. rosea to degrade TPH and alter the composition of crude petroleum oil by decreasing the toxicity of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in soil, as well as its capability to absorb and accumulate sulfur and heavy metals, supports the use of plant species for the phytoremediation of crude oil-polluted sites.

Keywords: saturated hydrocarbons; aromatic hydrocarbons; n-paraffin compounds; lead; cadmium; sulfur (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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