A Case Study of Petroleum Degradation in Different Soil Textural Classes.

Background: Patents have been granted for a number of techniques for petroleum biodegradation including use of micro-organisms for degradation of hydrocarbon-based substances and for hydrocarbon degradation in oil reservoirs, but there is a dearth of information on hydrocarbon degradation in different soil textures.

Objective: Hence, this work investigated the effects of different soil textures on degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons during a six-week period.

Methods: Five soil textural classes commonly found in Port Harcourt metropolis, Nigeria, namely sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, silty clay and clay, were employed.