Effects of TPH contamination on soil and rice growth: Assessing the efficacy of sodium persulfate as a remediation agent

Abstract

Soil contamination by total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) poses a major risk to soil health and crop productivity. This study aims to investigate the effects of TPH on soil properties and rice growth factors, as well as the potential of sodium persulfate (SP) to mitigate negative impacts. The study includes four treatments: control (no SP or TPH), SP (0.0, 1.50 and 3.0%), TPH (TPH-contaminated soil, 4.0%, 6.0%, and 8.0%), and SP + TPH (SP and TPH levels). Results show that TPH contamination led to reductions in pH, organic matter, nutrient availability, root and shoot growth, chlorophyll content, plant height, grain and biomass yield. SP facilitates the restoration of soil physicochemical properties, mitigates toxicity, and enhances plant growth conditions by promoting both chemical oxidation and microbial degradation of TPH contaminants. Higher doses of SP are required to counteract higher TPH levels. The findings suggest that SP can be an effective amendment for remediating TPH-contaminated soils, but dosage and application should be tailored to site-specific conditions. This study highlights the potential of SP for sustainable management of TPH-contaminated agricultural land, but further work is needed to fully understand its impact on different plant species and to optimize remediation strategies for specific site conditions.