The application of Chromolaena odorata (Awolowo leaf), processed into powder form, was used as a biostimulant for petroleum hydrocarbon degradation and mitigation in a loamy soil environment. In this investigation, the physicochemical and microbial characteristics of the sample were determined, as presented in this research, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (T.N), total phosphorus (T.P), potassium (K), total organic carbon, and P. fluorescence. Corynebacterium sp., Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Acinetobacter iwoffi, Flavobacterium sp., and Micrococcus roseus were identified as bacteria, while Aspergillus sp., Aspergillus polyporicola, and Fusarium equiseti were identified as fungi. Microbial populations of 1.38 × 102 cfu/g and 1.13 × 102 cfu/g were identified as bacteria and fungi in loamy soil, respectively, while 3.91 × 106 cfu/g and 5.85 × 104 cfu/g were identified from the biostimulant. The research revealed the effectiveness of the biostimulant in the mitigation of contaminated loamy soil, with total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration reduced by 95–98% within 42 days for sun- and room-dried samples. However, the biostimulant of the room-dried sample was more effective than the sun-dried. This recommendation was based on the available nutrients present in the room-dried sample compared to the sun-dried, as well as the concentration of TPH after 42 days. This study further underscores the potential of Chromolaena odorata as an environmentally sustainable solution for bioremediation in hydrocarbon-contaminated soils.

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1. Amadi A, Dickson AA, Maate GO. Remediation of oil-polluted soils: Effect of organic and inorganic nutrient supplements on the performance of maize (Zea mays L). J Water Air Soil Pollut. 2013;66:59–76.
2. Anderson TA, Guthrie EA, Walton BT. Bioremediation in the rhizosphere. J Environ Sci Technol. 2016;27:2630–2636.
3. Antonio C, Gea OC, Eun HJ, Pietro Z, Alfina G, Chiara C, Maghenta F. Phytoremediation of contaminated soils by heavy metals and PAH: A brief review. J Environ Technol Innov. 2017;8:309–326.
4. Atagana HI. The potential of Chromolaena odorata (L) to decontaminate used engine oil impacted soil under greenhouse conditions. Int J Phytoremediation. 2011;7(13):627–641.
5. Brazil GM, Kenefick L, Callanan M, Haro A, de Lorenzo V, Dowling DN, O’Gara F. Construction of a rhizosphere pseudomonad with potential to degrade polychlorinated biphenyls and detection of bph gene expression in the rhizosphere. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009;61:1946–1952.
6. Carla MR, Fulbia C, Subramanian S. Remediation of metal/metalloid polluted soils: A short review. J Appl Sci. 2021;11(9):4134.
7. Chen-Jing L, Song-Ge D, Chun-Yan H, Peng G, Eakalak K, Chang-Ping Y, Lena QM. Application of bioremediation and phytoremediation in contaminated soils and waters. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol. 2023;53(6):723–732.
8. Ekwumemgbo PA, Eddy NO, Omoniyi IK. Decontamination of heavy metals in polluted soil by phytoremediation using Bryophyllum pinnatum. E3S Web Conf. 2013;13004:1–4.
9. Elizabeth TA, Alhasan IG, Chinyere EE, Oluwadolapo OA. Bioremediation techniques as affected by limiting factors in soil environment. Front Soil Sci. 2022;2:937186. doi:10.3389/fsoil.2022.937186.
10. Eno ON, Ukpaka CP, Ademuliyi FT. Performance evaluation of Azadirachta indica leaf on crude oil contaminated soils. Int J Plant Biotechnol. 2020;6(1):36–46.
11. Godleads O, Prekeyi T, Samson EI. Bioremediation, biostimulation and bioaugmentation: A review. Int J Environ Bioremediation Biodegrad. 2015;1:28–39.
12. Joner EJ, Johansen A, Loibner AP, De la Cruz MA, Szolar OH, Portal JM, Leyval C. Environmental Science Technology. France. 2011;35(13):2773–2777.
13. Khan AG, Kuek C, Chaudhry TM, Khoo CS, Hayes WJ. Role of plants, mycorrhizae and phytochelators in heavy metal contaminated land remediation. Chemosphere. 2015;41:197–207.
14. Natalie P, Magdalena P, Magdalena N, Tomasz P. Comparative study on multiway enhanced bio- and phytoremediation of aged petroleum-contaminated soil. J Agron Approach Remediation Contaminated Soil. 2020;10(7):10.3390.
15. Neha J, Swati S. Phytoextraction potential of neem (Azadirachta indica) for crude detoxification. Clim Change Environ Sustain. 2018;6(2):154–159.
16. Oindrila P, Amrita J, Dibyajit L, Moupriya N, Rina RR. In situ and ex situ bioremediation of heavy metals: The present scenario. J Environ Eng Landsc Manag. 2012;29(4):454–469.
17. Risky AK, Wilawan K, Gaurav T, Peter K, Linh Thi TC, Tse-Wei C, Noura M, Bandar MA, Murat Y. A review on thermal desorption treatment for soil contamination. Trop Aquat Soil Pollut. 2022;2(1):45-58. https://doi.org/10.53623/tasp.v2i1.68.
18. Tang J, Wang R, Niu X, Wang M, Zhou Q. Characterization on the rhizoremediation of petroleum contaminated soil as affected by different influencing factors. Int J Biogeosciences Disc. 2010;7(1):4665–4688.
19. Tanhan P. Effects of soil amendments and EDTA on lead uptake by Chromolaena odorata: Greenhouse and field trial experiments. Int J Phytoremediation. 2011;13(9):2–7.
20. Ukpaka CP. Comparison of treatment and purification of salt water using Moringa oleifera leaf: The concept of photo-integration. Int J Photochemistry. 2020;6(1):44–53.

The application of Chromolaena odorata (Awolowo leaf), processed into powder form, was used as a biostimulant for petroleum hydrocarbon degradation and mitigation in a loamy soil environment. In this investigation, the physicochemical and microbial characteristics of the sample were determined, as presented in this research, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (T.N), total phosphorus (T.P), potassium (K), total organic carbon, and P. fluorescence. Corynebacterium sp., Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Acinetobacter iwoffi, Flavobacterium sp., and Micrococcus roseus were identified as bacteria, while Aspergillus sp., Aspergillus polyporicola, and Fusarium equiseti were identified as fungi. Microbial populations of 1.38 × 102 cfu/g and 1.13 × 102 cfu/g were identified as bacteria and fungi in loamy soil, respectively, while 3.91 × 106 cfu/g and 5.85 × 104 cfu/g were identified from the biostimulant. The research revealed the effectiveness of the biostimulant in the mitigation of contaminated loamy soil, with total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration reduced by 95–98% within 42 days for sun- and room-dried samples. However, the biostimulant of the room-dried sample was more effective than the sun-dried. This recommendation was based on the available nutrients present in the room-dried sample compared to the sun-dried, as well as the concentration of TPH after 42 days. This study further underscores the potential of Chromolaena odorata as an environmentally sustainable solution for bioremediation in hydrocarbon-contaminated soils.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Amadi A, Dickson AA, Maate GO. Remediation of oil-polluted soils: Effect of organic and inorganic nutrient supplements on the performance of maize (Zea mays L). J Water Air Soil Pollut. 2013;66:59–76.
2. Anderson TA, Guthrie EA, Walton BT. Bioremediation in the rhizosphere. J Environ Sci Technol. 2016;27:2630–2636.
3. Antonio C, Gea OC, Eun HJ, Pietro Z, Alfina G, Chiara C, Maghenta F. Phytoremediation of contaminated soils by heavy metals and PAH: A brief review. J Environ Technol Innov. 2017;8:309–326.
4. Atagana HI. The potential of Chromolaena odorata (L) to decontaminate used engine oil impacted soil under greenhouse conditions. Int J Phytoremediation. 2011;7(13):627–641.
5. Brazil GM, Kenefick L, Callanan M, Haro A, de Lorenzo V, Dowling DN, O’Gara F. Construction of a rhizosphere pseudomonad with potential to degrade polychlorinated biphenyls and detection of bph gene expression in the rhizosphere. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009;61:1946–1952.
6. Carla MR, Fulbia C, Subramanian S. Remediation of metal/metalloid polluted soils: A short review. J Appl Sci. 2021;11(9):4134.
7. Chen-Jing L, Song-Ge D, Chun-Yan H, Peng G, Eakalak K, Chang-Ping Y, Lena QM. Application of bioremediation and phytoremediation in contaminated soils and waters. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol. 2023;53(6):723–732.
8. Ekwumemgbo PA, Eddy NO, Omoniyi IK. Decontamination of heavy metals in polluted soil by phytoremediation using Bryophyllum pinnatum. E3S Web Conf. 2013;13004:1–4.
9. Elizabeth TA, Alhasan IG, Chinyere EE, Oluwadolapo OA. Bioremediation techniques as affected by limiting factors in soil environment. Front Soil Sci. 2022;2:937186. doi:10.3389/fsoil.2022.937186.
10. Eno ON, Ukpaka CP, Ademuliyi FT. Performance evaluation of Azadirachta indica leaf on crude oil contaminated soils. Int J Plant Biotechnol. 2020;6(1):36–46.
11. Godleads O, Prekeyi T, Samson EI. Bioremediation, biostimulation and bioaugmentation: A review. Int J Environ Bioremediation Biodegrad. 2015;1:28–39.
12. Joner EJ, Johansen A, Loibner AP, De la Cruz MA, Szolar OH, Portal JM, Leyval C. Environmental Science Technology. France. 2011;35(13):2773–2777.
13. Khan AG, Kuek C, Chaudhry TM, Khoo CS, Hayes WJ. Role of plants, mycorrhizae and phytochelators in heavy metal contaminated land remediation. Chemosphere. 2015;41:197–207.
14. Natalie P, Magdalena P, Magdalena N, Tomasz P. Comparative study on multiway enhanced bio- and phytoremediation of aged petroleum-contaminated soil. J Agron Approach Remediation Contaminated Soil. 2020;10(7):10.3390.
15. Neha J, Swati S. Phytoextraction potential of neem (Azadirachta indica) for crude detoxification. Clim Change Environ Sustain. 2018;6(2):154–159.
16. Oindrila P, Amrita J, Dibyajit L, Moupriya N, Rina RR. In situ and ex situ bioremediation of heavy metals: The present scenario. J Environ Eng Landsc Manag. 2012;29(4):454–469.
17. Risky AK, Wilawan K, Gaurav T, Peter K, Linh Thi TC, Tse-Wei C, Noura M, Bandar MA, Murat Y. A review on thermal desorption treatment for soil contamination. Trop Aquat Soil Pollut. 2022;2(1):45-58. https://doi.org/10.53623/tasp.v2i1.68.
18. Tang J, Wang R, Niu X, Wang M, Zhou Q. Characterization on the rhizoremediation of petroleum contaminated soil as affected by different influencing factors. Int J Biogeosciences Disc. 2010;7(1):4665–4688.
19. Tanhan P. Effects of soil amendments and EDTA on lead uptake by Chromolaena odorata: Greenhouse and field trial experiments. Int J Phytoremediation. 2011;13(9):2–7.
20. Ukpaka CP. Comparison of treatment and purification of salt water using Moringa oleifera leaf: The concept of photo-integration. Int J Photochemistry. 2020;6(1):44–53.