Biological Remediation of the Petroleum and Diesel Contaminated Soil with Earthworms Eisenia Fetida

The study was performed of the bioremediation efficiency of the soil contaminated with petroleum and diesel with the help of earthworms E. fetida in the presence of bacteria Pseudomonas, nitrogen fixing bacteria Azotobacter and Clostridium, yeasts Saccharomyces, fungi Aspergillus and Penicillium, as well as Actinomycetales, all being components of biopreparation Baykal-EM. It was demonstrated that in petroleum-contaminated soil with 20-60 g/kg of petroleum, the content of hydrocarbons decreases by 99% after 22 weeks in the presence of worms and biopreparation. In diesel-contaminated soil with diesel concentration of 40 g/kg in the presence of earthworms E. fetida and microbiological preparation, 30% of the earthworm species died after 14 days because of the toxic impact of the diesel fuel.