The Effect of Biochar, Cow Manure, and Rhizobium Bacteria In the Ability to Bioremediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil

Srestha Samaddar

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

11th Grade

Presentation Topic

Environmental Science

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Abstract

A common problem in the world today is the decontamination of soil from organic pollutants. With modern societies increase in demand for energy and fuel has lead to an exponential exploitation of petroleum hydrocarbons, which are the most widespread class of organic contaminants worldwide. It is associated with various health risks, causing multiple cancers and cause damage to the central nervous systems in both humans and animals. This research was aimed to determine which biodegradation treatment, biochar, horse manure, or Rhizobium, would be capable of degrading petroleum hydrocarbons. It was hypothesized that if biochar, Rhizobium, and cow manure are used as a possible treatment method, then biochar will be able to remediate the most petroleum compared to the other treatment groups. Five groups of soil were assigned to different treatment groups, all but the negative control group was contaminated with 5% concentration of motor oil, a product that contains petroleum hydrocarbons. The absorbance values were then measured for 20 trials in increments on one minute. All variables were statistically analyzed with a one way ANOVA at the alpha=0.05 level. There was a statistical significance between all the variables; (F(4,95)=103.7296626, p<0.001). A Tukey test determined that significant differences occurred in all of the trials except the manure versus the Rhizobium treatment. It was concluded that the biochar treatment was able to most successfully biodegrade the amount of petroleum hydrocarbons, but the other treatments were able to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons at a lesser extent.

Location

Furman Hall 227

Start Date

3-28-2020 11:30 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 28th, 11:30 AM

The Effect of Biochar, Cow Manure, and Rhizobium Bacteria In the Ability to Bioremediate Petroleum-Contaminated Soil

Furman Hall 227

A common problem in the world today is the decontamination of soil from organic pollutants. With modern societies increase in demand for energy and fuel has lead to an exponential exploitation of petroleum hydrocarbons, which are the most widespread class of organic contaminants worldwide. It is associated with various health risks, causing multiple cancers and cause damage to the central nervous systems in both humans and animals. This research was aimed to determine which biodegradation treatment, biochar, horse manure, or Rhizobium, would be capable of degrading petroleum hydrocarbons. It was hypothesized that if biochar, Rhizobium, and cow manure are used as a possible treatment method, then biochar will be able to remediate the most petroleum compared to the other treatment groups. Five groups of soil were assigned to different treatment groups, all but the negative control group was contaminated with 5% concentration of motor oil, a product that contains petroleum hydrocarbons. The absorbance values were then measured for 20 trials in increments on one minute. All variables were statistically analyzed with a one way ANOVA at the alpha=0.05 level. There was a statistical significance between all the variables; (F(4,95)=103.7296626, p<0.001). A Tukey test determined that significant differences occurred in all of the trials except the manure versus the Rhizobium treatment. It was concluded that the biochar treatment was able to most successfully biodegrade the amount of petroleum hydrocarbons, but the other treatments were able to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons at a lesser extent.