FUNGI TO DETOXIFICATION OF POLLUTED SITE

Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination poses a major threat to soil quality, biodiversity, and public health, especially in developing regions such as Nigeria where oil-based industrial activities continue to expand. Conventional remediation techniques are often extremely costly, less sustainable, and sometimes pose further environmental risks. This study therefore assessed the bioremediation potential of selected fungi on petroleum-polluted soil, with the aim of determining their effectiveness in hydrocarbon degradation and soil quality restoration. The fungi employed in this study included Aspergillus spp., Penicillium chrysogenum, Trametes versicolor, and Pleurotus ostreatus. Soil samples artificially contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons were inoculated with fungal cultures and monitored for four (4) weeks under controlled laboratory conditions. Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH), soil pH, fungal colony-forming units (CFU), and physical soil characteristics were recorded weekly. Results revealed a significant progressive reduction in TPH concentration from 5000 mg/kg at week zero to 600 mg/kg at week four, accompanied by a steady increase in fungal population and a gradual rise in soil pH from 6.5 to 6.9. Observable improvements, such as reduction in oiliness and complete disappearance of petroleum odor, were also recorded. These findings confirm that fungi possess strong enzymatic capability for degrading petroleum hydrocarbons and can be efficiently utilized for environmentally safe soil remediation.