International Science Community Association Research Journal of Chemical Sciences 2231-606X 9 3 2019 07 18 Application of silver nanoparticles during bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-polluted soil by Eleusine indica - inhibition or improvement? 7 16 EN Iwuozor Kingsley Ogemdi 1 Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria Ekpunobi Emmanuel Chidubem 2 Department of Microbiology, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria Emuobosa Gold 3 Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria Beckley Ikhajiagbe 1 Environmental Biotechnology and Sustainability Research Group, Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Benin, Nigeria Kadesh Ignatius Osayamen 2 Environmental Biotechnology and Sustainability Research Group, Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Benin, Nigeria > Research Paper 2018 10 21 2019 07 18 Nanoparticles (NP) have been associated with numerous aspects of plant applications, including crop production and environmental reclamation. The primary reason is to enhance plants capacity during these applications. The purpose of the research was centred on whether application of biosynthesized silver NP would enhance the bioremediation capacity of Eleusine indica in an oil-polluted soil. Top soil was polluted with spent lubricating oil (obtained as pooled) at 5% w/w. A week later, tillers of Eluesine indica (5-leafed and height 8.3±1.2cm) were transplanted into the oil-polluted soils in experimental bowls. Five weeks after sowing, silver NP were synthesized in the laboratory from silver-trioxonitrate, using aqueous leaf extracts of Azadirachtaindica, Carica papaya, Vernonia amygdalina, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Moringa oleifera. These were immediately applied via foliar spray to each plant at 200ml per plant in divided concentrations of 5, 15 and 30% respectively, from top to bottom. A booster dose was applied after two weeks of initial application. The presence of oil in soil had phytotoxic impact on plant morphological characteristics. There was also significant reduction in reproductive capacity of the plant herein presented as number of panicles per plant. However, with the application of nanoparticles, there was improvement in plant acquisition of panicles. Enhancement in plant reproductive capacity was better with plants sprayed with V. amygdalina-based NP (16panicles), compared to those exposed to A. indica-based NP (11 panicles/plant) and 5 panicles in the plants in oil-polluted soil. The efficiency of remediation of hydrocarbons in the oil-polluted soil by the test plant was enhanced upon application of NP (80.0 - 95.0%) compared to when no NP was applied (65.05%). The study thus accentuates the capacity for NP in enhancing plant survival under environmentally stressed conditions. Further, the enhancement of plant remediative capacity in the oil-polluted soil has also been presented. Copyright@ International Science Community Association