Survival and growth of the dominant salt marsh grass Spartina Alterniflora in an oil industry saline wastewater

Saline oil produced water (PW) is the largest wastewater stream in the oil exploration and production processes. Although eventual disposal of PW into shallow coastal waters occurs nearby coastal wetlands, no studies regarding its toxicity to higher plants were found in our literature review. To fil...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of phytoremediation 2009-09, Vol.11 (7), p.640-650
Main Authors: Gomes Neto, Afranio, Costa, Cesar S.B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ammonium nitrogen
Biomass
halophyte
halophytes
industrial effluents
Industrial Waste
mortality
Petroleum - toxicity
phytoremediation
phytotoxicity
plant growth
Poaceae - drug effects
Poaceae - growth & development
Poaceae - metabolism
produced water
roots
saline water
salt marshes
sodium chloride
Sodium Chloride - chemistry
Spartina alterniflora
toxicity
Waste Disposal, Fluid
wastewater
Water - chemistry
wetland plants
Wetlands
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Summary:Saline oil produced water (PW) is the largest wastewater stream in the oil exploration and production processes. Although eventual disposal of PW into shallow coastal waters occurs nearby coastal wetlands, no studies regarding its toxicity to higher plants were found in our literature review. To fill this knowledge gap and evaluate the potential use of this halophyte for PW phytoremediation the salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora was grown in five PW concentrations and no PW treatment control for seven weeks. The oil & grease, NaCl, and ammonium (N-NH4 + ) concentrations in the PW were 120 mg L −1 , 30 g L −1 , and 381 mg L −1 , respectively. Plants grown in 30% PW and 10% PW achieved survival rates (75%) significantly higher than plants grown in 100% PW (35% survival). LT50 of S. alterniflora to raw PW with 120 mg L −1 of oil & grease (100% PW) was estimated at 30 days. Root and sprout biomass were significantly stimulated by PW; plants grown in 10% to 50% PW concentrations were 70-300% more productive than those in control, 80% PW and 100% PW, respectively. No significant inhibitory effects on survival or growth were detected for concentrations of PW less than 80% when compared to control. Our results pointed out that S. alterniflora grows in saline oil PW and its potential use to phytoremediate this effluent should be evaluated.
ISSN:1522-6514
1549-7879
DOI:10.1080/15226510902861727