Assessing the potential of brachiaria decumbens as remediation agent for soil contaminated wit oil sludge

Bioremediation is a method of treatment of soil or water contaminated with toxic materials, involving the use of living organisms. Oil or petroleum sludge is a waste product of the petroleum refining industry, and is now accumulating at a fast rate at petroleum refinery sites in the country. Common components of oil sludge are mud and sand, containing toxic materials from hydrocarbons, heavy metals and radioactive elements from the seabed. In the present study, the oil sludge samples were obtained from barrels of the materials stored at the Radioactive Waste Treatment Centre, MINT. The samples were analysed of their compounds, elemental and radioactive contents. Trials on microbial degradation of the sludge materials were ongoing. This paper discusses the potential of a grass to remediate soils contaminated with petroleum sludge. Remediation of soils contaminated with organic compounds and heavy metals using plants, including grasses, including Vetiver, Lolium and Agrostis have been carried out in many countries. A greenhouse pot trial was conducted to assess the suitability of the pasture grass Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. and its mutant Brachiaria decumbens KLUANG Comel as a remediation agent for oil sludge contaminated soil. Samples of grasses and soils before planting, during growth stage and at end of experiment were analysed for the different toxicity. Although the grasses were promoted for use in pasture, and KLUANG Comel has good potential as an ornamental plant, too, their other potentials, including as phytoremediation agents need to be explored. (Author)