Spectrochemical Analytical Follow up of Phytoremediation of Oil-Contaminated Soil

Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) are one of the most common groups of persistent environmental toxic organic contaminants to many organisms as well as to humans. In the present work, oil-polluted soil samples were phyto-remediated and analyzed. The investigated soil samples were collected from a location close to the oil petroleum production site in Ras-Gharib, Red Sea, Egypt. The phytoremediation process through TPH reduction and/or removal was carried out using Helianthus annuus (sunflower plant) based on its efficiency as a phytoremediator for organic pollutants. A preliminary four-week scheme of Helianthus annuus remediation, supported by twice quantized fertilization, provided a result of ～56% clean soil. Contaminated and phyto-remediated samples were diagnosed and analyzed through particle size distribution, Carbon-Hydrogen-Sulfur-Nitrogen elemental analysis (CHSN), Organic Matter content (OM%), Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons determination (%) and spectroscopically through Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF). Promising results have been achieved indicating the feasibility of planting sunflower for effective TPH remediation of the polluted soil and also the possibility of in situ monitoring of the remediation with easy, cost effective and fast spectrochemical analytical techniques, namely LIBS and LIF.