Effect of biostimulation treatments on the toxicity of oil-contaminated mangrove sediment

Authors

  • Lilia Pereira Souza-Santos Universidade Federal de Pernambuco http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0187-5840
  • Bruno V. M. Costa Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
  • Anny G. A. G. Torreiro-Melo Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
  • Cristiane M. V. Araújo-Castro Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco
  • Karina S. Garcia Universidade Federal da Bahia
  • Danúsia F Lima Universidade Federal da Bahia
  • Olívia M. C. Oliveira Universidade Federal da Bahia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5132/eec.2018.02.13

Abstract

Bioassays with the marine copepod Tisbe biminiensis were used to evaluate the efficiency of three bioremediation treatments on oil contaminated sediments. Two biostimulation treatments (adding NPK and OSMOCOTE fertilizers) and a natural attenuation treatment (experimental control, without fertilizers) were evaluated. The addition of NPK fertilizer had a strong lethal effect on T. biminiensis females probably associated to ammonium compounds, but this effect disappeared after 15 days. The OSMOCOTE releases nutrients in a gradual manner and as such, had no lethal effect on T. biminiensis females. In the natural attenuation treatment, the fecundity of T. biminiensis increased 200% and this indicates that natural attenuation treatment effectively attenuated the sub-lethal toxicity. Biostimulation treatments were not more efficient in obtaining lower toxicity levels of oil contaminated sediment compared to natural attenuation as the recovery of the endpoint affected by contamination (fecundity) increased at the same rate in the 3 treatments over time. In conclusion, adding fertilizers with high ammonium compound concentrations and rapid release is not recommended as a bioremediation treatment in mangroves.

Author Biographies

Lilia Pereira Souza-Santos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Departamento de Oceanografia

Bruno V. M. Costa, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Departamento de Oceanografia

Anny G. A. G. Torreiro-Melo, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Departamento de Oceanografia

Karina S. Garcia, Universidade Federal da Bahia

Centro de Estudos Ambientais

Danúsia F Lima, Universidade Federal da Bahia

Centro de Estudos Ambientais

Olívia M. C. Oliveira, Universidade Federal da Bahia

Centro de Estudos Ambientais

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Published

29-10-2018

How to Cite

Souza-Santos, L. P., Costa, B. V. M., Torreiro-Melo, A. G. A. G., Araújo-Castro, C. M. V., Garcia, K. S., Lima, D. F., & Oliveira, O. M. C. (2018). Effect of biostimulation treatments on the toxicity of oil-contaminated mangrove sediment. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Contamination, 13(2), 107–116. https://doi.org/10.5132/eec.2018.02.13