SYMPOSIA LECTURES AND POSTER PRESENTATIONSMycoremediation of Engine-Oil—Polluted Soil by Lentinus squarrosulus Mont., an Indigenous Nigerian White-Rot Fungus

Abstract

Th ere has been an increasing interest in the use of mushrooms in bioremediation of polluted habitats because of their ability to change the nutrient conditions in the soil and to accumulate metal ions, including heavy metals. Despite the upsurge in the research activities elsewhere, these studies are still in their infancy in Nigeria, which is one of the world's leading oil producers. Lentinus squarrosulus Mont., a white-rot fungus, was tested for its ability to bioremediate a soil contaminated with 0.5-40% concentrations of engine oil over a period of 3 months. Results obtained revealed that in soils contaminated with engine oil and inoculated by L. squarrosulus, the amount of organic matter, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus increased, whereas the available potassium was reduced. A relatively high percentage degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) was observed in low concentrations of engine oil and a considerably lower percentage for the higher concentrations of engine oil. Th e metal concentration of Fe, Cu, Zn, and Ni increased with the increase of engine oil concentration up to 20%, followed by a decrease showing bio-accumulation by the white-rot fungus. Th e improvement of nutrient content values as well as the bioaccumulation of heavy metals at 20% engine oil concentration by L. squarrosulus is of importance for the mycoremediation of an engine-oil polluted soil.