In this investigation, aged petroleum
contaminated soil located at Lakowa, Sibsagar
district of Assam; India was collected to the
institute’s laboratory for phytoremediation
study. A pot culture experiment was conducted
to study the vermicompost assisted
phytoremediation potentiality of native herbs
viz. Cyperus bravifolius and Mimosa pudica
for hydrocarbon contaminated soil. The
investigation was conducted for six months.
Results revealed from the investigation that C.
bravifolius could remove highest (61.89%)
amount of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH)
from the contaminated soil than Mimosa
pudica (59.98%) at a depth of 0-5cm. On the
other hand, at a depth of 5-10cm Mimosa
pudica has removed highest amount of TPH
(i.e. 62.03%). Results also revealed that
dissipation of TPH in all treatments was found
more in the soil treated with vermicompost
than without vermicompost. In all the
treatments, dissipation of TPH was found more
in the surface soil (i.e. 0-5cm depth) than
bottom soil (5-10cm depth). The shoot and
root biomass of both the plant has increased
significantly in the vermicompost treated soil.
The uptake of TPH was more in the
vermicompost treated soil than the soil without
treatment of vermicompost. Amount of uptake
was found more in the shoot of Cyperus
bravifolius (45321.7ppm) and in the root of
Mimosa pudica (40447.6ppm) in
vermicompost treated soil. The bacterial
population was found highest in the
rhizosphere soil sample of Cyperous
bravifolius (277x 106
CFU/g soil) and in case
of fungi highest was found in the rhizosphere
soil sample of Mimosa pudica (394x103
CFU