Short-term biodegradation of petroleum in planted and unplanted sandy soil.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the effect of microbial populations and biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in Lam. 'Passerel Plus' planted and unplanted contaminated sandy soil. Plant adaptation, growth, photosynthesis, rhizosphere microbial population, and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) degradation were determined. Petroleum contamination resulted in reduced plant growth, photosynthesis, and macro- and micronutrient content. Filamentous fungi populations were stimulated by the petroleum concentrations, especially when plants were exposed to intermediate to high petroleum contamination. In general, unplanted containers had lower bacterial colony forming units compared with planted containers. Thus, bacterial populations were stimulated by the rhizosphere effect of when compared with fungal populations. Degradation of TPH was greater in the lower petroleum concentration when compared with the higher petroleum concentrations in the soil and was not affected by plant presence. Nevertheless, the TPH biodegradation occurred at greater rates: 48 mg kg d for concentration of 3000 mg kg and 66 and 165 mg kg d for concentrations of 6000 and 15,000 mg kg, respectively, which concurs with the high fungal and bacterial populations with increasing petroleum concentrations regardless of plant presence.