Application of Indonesian local bacteria for bioremediation of soil contaminated with heavy oil, light oil and used lubricant.

Abstract

Oil and gas industrial activity has a potency to contaminate soil. One of the waste released by oil and gas industry is oil sludge. Until now, oil sludge is still a major problem in oil and gas industry especially due to its huge amount. This research was aimed to study the effectiveness of Indonesian local bacteria in bioremediation of soil contaminated with heavy oil, light oil and used lubricant at bench scale. This research was begun by cultivation of 15 strains of hydrocarbon degrading bacteria in Luria Bertani (LB) medium. Each of the cultured isolate was left in a few minutes for thawing, then it was transfered to 20 ml LB medium in erlemeyer using ose. Then, the cultures were incubated in a shaker for 24 hour at ambient temperature. The 15 isolates were selected of their potency in degrading heavy oil by visual assay based on the changes in oil condition in the erlemeyer. The best three heavy oil degrading bacteria selected were Bacillus sp ICBB 7859, Bacillus sp. ICBB 9461 and Bacillus sp. ICBB 5071. The three selected isolates were further characterized by hypersensitive response test, growth curves characteristic, haemolysis test, and antagonistm test. In the main experiment, the three isolates were applicated to soil contaminated with heavy oil, light oil and used lubricant as a single or in combination culture. Parameters used to evaluate their effectiveness in the degradation were soil respiration, pH value, and TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon). The combination of the three isolates (Bacillus sp ICBB 7859, Bacillus sp. ICBB 9461, and Bacillus sp. ICBB 5071) was the most effective treatment for reducing TPH value of all tested materials (heavy oil, light oil and used lubricant) although statistically was not significantly different with other treatment at 5% test level. The TPH values of soil contaminated with heavy oil, light oil and used lubricant were respectively 0,40, 0,70, dan 0,41% at the end incubation period for 9, 6 and 4 weeks. Based on the GOI Environment Ministerial Decree No. 128/2003, the TPH value of the oil contaminated soil have to be reduced below 1%, before being used for other purposes. Although the combination of the three isolates was the best treatment, it can not be applied in the field due to the patogenicity of the two isolates (Bacillus sp. ICBB 9461 and Bacillus sp. ICBB 5071). Only one isolate, Bacillus sp. ICBB 7859, that has been proven as nonpathogenic one and, therefore, can be used for bioremediation of oil contaminated soil in the large scale.