You have no items in your shopping cart.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this project is to examine the impact of cassava mill effluent (CME) in soil polluted with petroleum hydrocarbon. The biodegradation of polluted soil was investigated alongside exchangeable basicity and particle size determination. Standard techniques like hydrometer method is used to examine soil samples for particle size distribution through a series of laboratory experiments, flame photometer and atomic absorption spectrophotometer are used in determining exchangeable bases and GC-FID is also used in determining total petroleum hydrocarbon. Ten samples (polluted and unpolluted groups) were the main focus for the particle size and exchangeable base determination while six samples (polluted groups only) were determined for total petroleum hydrocarbon. Application of petroleum hydrocarbon caused a decrease in sand size which was discovered to be 889g/kg, silt size being 25g/kg and an increase in clay size which is 86g/kg compared to their control group. Amongst the exchangeable bases, only potassium had a significant difference between the treated and untreated groups with the increase being evident in those treated monthly, weekly and daily. Exchangeable calcium only experienced an increased when the polluted (0.31mg/100g) however the application of CME reduced them drastically. The changes in exchangeable magnesium was not very significant due to the fact that only those treated weekly and daily got reduced. Exchangeable sodium had an almost constant range of values upon treatment (2.0-2.4) meaning that treating the polluted sample with CME had a very little effect on it. Total petroleum hydrocarbon on the other hand was not properly degraded as the CP,PTN,PTM,PTW,PTD had a value of 1973.70, 5565.7,2299,3629.3,2596.8 respectively. The goal of the study is to show that CME works as a sustainable remediation agent and how it affects the physicochemical characteristics of soil, which are important for agricultural sustainability and environmental restoration in PHC-contaminated areas.
