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(16-16) Phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in western Canada. Germida, James*,1, Knight, J.1, Van Rees, Ken1, Farrell, Richard1, 1 University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan ABSTRACT- Phytoremediation, the use of plants for the in situ treatment of contaminated soils, is a steadily emerging green technology that holds the promise of effective and inexpensive cleanup of a variety of hazardous wastes. Phytoremediation takes advantage of the fact that plants have extensive rooting systems which explore large volumes of soil, support larger bacterial populations in the rhizosphere than in the surrounding bulk soil, and produce exudates which can directly affect the activity of the rhizobacteria populations. Given that petroleum hydrocarbons are amenable to microbial degradation and that phytoremediation often involves enhanced microbial degradation of contaminants in the rhizosphere, oil contaminated sites are good candidates for phytoremediation. Nevertheless, despite the flexibility and adaptability that various plant-associated remediation pathways provide, interactions between these pathways as well as the biochemical and ecological interactions between the plant-microbe-environment continuum give rise to high level of complexity surrounding phytoremediation. Understanding this complexity is crucial to the success of any phytoremediation effort. Here, we discuss the key processes involved in phytoremediation, its promises and limitations, and its applicability to the harsh environments (semi-arid, short growing season, and long, cold winters) characteristic of the oil-producing regions of western Canada. The focus of our work is on the selection of native plants for phytoremediation, the assessment of the microbial diversity associated with the roots of these plants and the development of bacterial inoculants to enhance phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Key words: phytoremediation, bioremediation, petroleum, native plants |
