Bioremediation of contaminated light-chestnut soils in southern Russia

Abstract

Abstract The paper presents the results of studies of agrochemical and microbiological indicators of oil contaminated soils in southern Russia when using a biological preparation in the period from 2013 to 2019. Light-chestnut soils, tomato test culture, and biological preparation Biodux were chosen as objects of the study. The soil was contaminated with oil of various concentrations. Phytotoxicity of the soil was estimated by germination, the length of the above-ground part, the root, and the total biomass of plants. The study revealed that phytotoxicity and changes in the agrochemical indicators of light-chestnut soils in southern Russia are directly related to the concentration of applied oil. Thus, samples contaminated with 10 % oil show the most adverse effect on the studied parameters. Changes in the biological activity of soils contaminated with oil products primarily affected the growth, development and, ultimately, the yield of crops. The studied preparation Biodux formed resistance to stressful growing conditions in tomato crops and activated their growth and biological processes. Based on the data obtained, light-chestnut soils are not resistant to oil contamination in terms of biological indicators.