EFFECT OF SPENT ENGINE OIL ON POST-HARVEST SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AS REMEDIATED BY SPENT MUSHROOM

ABSTRACT

The trial is focused on the potential of spent mushroom as bioremediant for spent engine oil polluted soils. It is carried out in the Screen House of the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin. The study involved three concentrations of spent engine oil pollution( 0, 5 and 10% w/w in 10kg soil) and four spent mushroom concentrations(0g, 200g, 400g and 600g) and was laid in a 3 × 4 factorial arrangements and fitted into a completely randomized design with three replications. Data was collected on chemical composition of spent mushroom, physical and chemical properties of soil polluted with spent engine oil and remediated with spent mushroom before cropping, post harvest soil chemical properties following pollution with spent engine oil and remediated with spent mushroom. The result of the study shows that hydrocarbon content in the contaminated samples were high in comparison with the control sample. The concentration of hydrocarbon in the contaminated samples was high in comparison with the control sample. The concentration of hydrocarbon in the contaminated soils decreases with increase in the rate of spent mushrooms. Total N, available P and exchangeable cations were depressed by spent engine oil pollution. The addition of spent mushroom improved the soil pH, exchangeable cations, total N, available P, and these changes increased with increasing rate of application. Spent mushroom reduced total hydrocarbon concentration and depressed further with increasing rate of application.