Bioremediation

Bioremediation of various waste waters is a new technology that has undergone a lot of deep investigation in recent decades. With growing population, advanced agricultural practices, industrialization, urbanization and multiple use of water has increased the demand for water around the globe. Due to daily human activity and also various agricultural and industrial operations, wastewater is produced in huge quantity. Due to lack of proper management and treatment facilities most of the urban wastewater generated in Indian cities is discharged into natural aquatic environments without any proper treatment. Municipal sewage problems are more complex as the volume of the wastewater is large and it also requires large area for treatment. Several techniques have been recommended for effective wastewater treatment but among all of them bioremediation is the most effective management tool to control the environmental pollution and to improve the contaminated sites.

Environment contaminated with petroleum or its product is the major global concern today and leads to a serious hazards to living bodies therefore some remedial methods are required to cure it. Bioremediation is considered as one of the best technology for the treatment of petroleum contaminated soil. In order to make Bioremediation technology successful and efficient it is necessary to assess various physico-chemical parameters of soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbon. All the parameters play important role in bioremediation of petroleum contaminated soil. Present study was conducted to determine various physico- chemical parameters such as soil colour, soil texture, pH, Moisture content, Electrical conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Carbonate and Bicarbonate content, Chloride content, Sodium and Potassium content, Organic carbon, Organic matter, Nitrogen and Phosphorous content of the soil samples collected from Jaipur-Ajmer (Semi-arid) and Barmer (arid) regions of Rajasthan (India). Physico-chemical analysis of contaminated soil was performed by using standard analytical methods. The physico-chemical properties of soils alter due to petroleum hydrocarbon contamination. The petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil samples exhibited relatively lower pH value, moisture content, carbonate content, bicarbonate content and higher electrical conductivity, TDS value, available sodium concentration, available potassium concentration, organic carbon, organic matter content, available nitrogen content, available phosphorous content, chloride content as compared to uncontaminated soil sample (control).