Biodegradation of waste-lubricating petroleum oil in a tropical alfisol as mediated by animal droppings

This study evaluated the applicability of some organic wastes from animal droppings as bioremediation alternative for soils spiked with waste-lubricating oil (spent oil). The total hydrocarbon contents (THC) with time of sampling were markedly reduced with addition of cow dung (CD), poultry manure (PM) and pig wastes (PW). The general trend in the first year indicated that PW stimulated the highest net percentage loss in THC for soils polluted with 5000 mg kg−1 (0.5%SP) and 50,000 mg kg−1 (5%SP) oil levels. Poultry manure induced the highest reduction in soils polluted with medium, i.e. 2.5%SP (25,000 mg kg−1) oil concentration. The overall net loss mediated by each organic waste in the 2nd year showed that PM addition was better irrespective of total oil loading. For example, at 3 months PM led to 16.1% and 14.6% net reduction in THC for soils treated with 50,000 mg kg−1 (5%) and 100,000 mg kg−1 (10%) total oil loading, respectively; whereas at same period, the performance of the organic wastes were relatively similar in soils with 10,000 mg kg−1 oil loading. At 6 and 12 months, PM reduced the oil levels better than CD and PW. Further evaluation by first-order kinetic model which utilized combine data for the entire periods for each year indicated that PW was better at low oil pollution level, while PM performed better at high oil pollution levels. Overall, the differential performance of these organic amendments followed PM > PW > CD.