ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Remediation of Petroleum and Heavy
Metals- Contaminated Soil
by Plants and Nanoparticle Products
from Plants and Algal Extract
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Biology Department, College of Education, Salahaddin University- Erbil, Iraq
Submission date: 2024-12-09
Final revision date: 2025-01-22
Acceptance date: 2025-02-16
Online publication date: 2025-04-09
Corresponding author
Rebwar Khdir Shekha
Biology, College of Education, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Zanko, 44001, Erbil, Iraq
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ABSTRACT
Increased global industrialization has led to the release of several pollutants, including total
petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and heavy metals (HMs), which are detrimental to all living forms
and have a major impact on the balance of ecosystems. The present study assessed the potential use
of six plant species as phytoremediators and four different kinds of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to
remove TPHs and HMs from soil. The soil was treated artificially with five doses of TPHs, including
D1 5000, D2 10000, D3 15000, D4 20000, and D5 25000 mg kg−1, respectively, with four replications
for 180 days and the same doses for control without plants. The plant species examined were Cyperus
rotundus, Hordeum vulgare, Hordeum disticum, Triticum aestivum, Triticum durum, and Medicago
polymorpha, with different types of AgNPs synthesized from Nostoc sp., Cladophora glomerata,
Nasturtium officinale and Thymus vulgaris. Results indicated significant differences among doses
and plant species for the removal of TPHs and HMs in soil. Generally, more Removal percentage
(R%) of TPHs and HMs among all doses were obtained by C. rotundus. The trend for HMs R%
in the investigated soils was in descending order of Fe > Pb > Mn> Zn > Cr > Ni. Four distinct types
of nanoparticles showed significant variation in R% of TPHs and HMs in soil after adding 50 mg
and 100mg of AgNPs for each sample soil, N-AgNPs were the best AgNPs to eliminate HMs except
Pb there were CG-AgNPs. By increasing the concentration of TPHs and HMs, the efficiency of AgNPs
for remediation was decreased.