The Effect of Anabaena inaequalis on Salvinia minima to Absorb Crude Oil in Freshwater

Overview

Objectives/Goals Although there are existing methods of cleaning up oil spills, many methods of cleaning the spill up, such as chemical dispersants, can harm marine wildlife or leave large amounts of oil in the natural environment. In our project, we attempted to test and improve upon a method to help solve these issues. We decided to use a combination of algae and superoleophilic plants to clean up oil in freshwater. We hypothesized that if we grew Salvinia minima in freshwater with Anabaena inaequalis, then the mass of crude oil absorbed by a S. minima leaf would be greater than the mass absorbed by a S. minima leaf not grown with A. inaequalis. Methods/Materials In our experiment, we filled four containers with equal amounts of freshwater medium and S. minima, and then added increasing amounts of A. inaequalis from 0 mL to 6 mL. After letting the containers sit for 48 hours, we poured the same volume of freshwater medium into another container and added 15 mL of crude oil. Using forceps, we removed one leaf from the control, measured its mass, and placed it in the container with oil. After 20 seconds, we removed the leaf from the container and took the mass of the S. minima leaf with the absorbed oil. By subtracting the masses, we figured out how much oil was absorbed. This process was repeated for 6 leaves per container. Results Overall, there is a direct relationship between the amount of A. inaequalis grown with the S. minima and the mass of crude oil absorbed by a leaf of S. minima, showing how adding A. inaequalis increases the ability of Salvinia minima to absorb crude oil. There was approximately 0.073 grams of oil absorbed in 20 seconds with 0 mL of Anabaena, 0.086 grams with 2 mL, 0.097 grams with 4 mL, and 0.119 grams with 6 mL. An increase of 1 mL of A. inaequalis-freshwater-medium mixture added to grow with the S. minima increases the mass of crude oil absorbed by the S. minima leaf by around 0.007667 grams. Conclusions/Discussion Our results supported our hypothesis because the mass of crude oil absorbed by a leaf of S. minima after 20 seconds was the greatest when the S. minima was grown in 6 mL of A. inaequalis for 48 hours. This is most likely due to the cyanobacteria#s nitrogen-fixing abilities that contribute to the overall health and growth of the Salvinia minima. The results show potential for a quick and effective method of remediation.

Competition history

• CSEF 2017 Environmental Engineering · Entry S1101

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