Effect of Crude Engine Oil and Aromatic Fractions of Pleurotus Pulmonarius Fries (Quelet)

Abstract

The ability of two white rot fungi, Pleurotus ostreatus and P. pulmonarius, to degrade crude and used engine oil was examined for six months. In 9 9 4 cm (350 cm3) jam bottles, 100 grams of sterilized soil were weighed and wet with 75% distilled water (w/v). They were then completely mixed with bonny light crude oil and used motor oil at various concentrations (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 25%, and 30%), individually. Then, using a sterile cork borer, two agar plugs of a strongly growing P. ostreatus and P. pulmonarius mycelium were inoculated into each bottle. For six months, the bottles were kept at room temperature. After drying, the mycelia-ramified waste was removed from the soil and examined for physicochemical characteristics such total hydrocarbon content (THC), organic matter, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. After six months, both contaminated and inoculated soils had higher levels of organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. However, during the experiment period, these soils had a drop in THC, pH, and potassium. In soils contaminated with 20% of crude and engine oils, respectively, P. ostreatus lowered the initial THC to 8% and 9%, which was less than P. pulmonarius. The two white rot fungus may be used in the bioremediation of soils contaminated with old motor oil and bonny light crude.