Eisenia fetida Squirms Biased Bioremediation of Pyrene and Indeno(1, 2, 3–cd)Pyrene Soil and Petroleum Wastewater Contamination
C. Fawole *
Department of Chemistry, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Nigeria.
D. A. Dashak
Department of Chemistry, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
S. J. Salami
Department of Chemistry, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
S. Abdulmumin
Department of Chemistry, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
M. R. Larbong
Department of Chemistry, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
H. A. Chimezie-Nwosu
Department of Petroleum Engineering, Rivers State University, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Raw mean levels of pyrene (pyr) and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene petroleum wastewater were 8.00±0.00 and 9.20±0.03 mg/L respectively. Petroleum wastewater impacted soil gave Pyr (8.00±0.01) and Ind (9.50±0.00) mg/kg. The biased and effective nature of Eisenia fetida vermiaccumulated Pyr (6.94±0.02 mg/kg) and Ind (7.56±0.01 mg/kg), had vermiremoval efficiency of Pyr (86.75%) and Ind (82.17%). Thus, the treatment unit indicated Pyr (0.07±0.00 mg/kg) and Ind (0.00±0.00 mg/kg) for soil with petroleum wastewater sample while petroleum wastewater sample was Pyr (0.00±0.00 mg/L) and Ind (0.00±0.00) within 5 weeks detention period. Identifications and quantifications of the two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (2PAHs) Pyr and Ind were carried out by GC/MD in accordance to manufacturer’s operational specifications. E. fetida squirms were proven bioremediation tools, capable to remove or detoxify the two environmental health contaminants from the contaminated pilot ecosystem.
Keywords: Eisenia fetida, biased bioremediation, pyrene, Indeno(1,2,3–cd)pyrene, soil, petroleum waste water, environmental health contaminants