R. Meištininkas “Bioremediation Potential of Petroleum Contaminated Soil Using Legume Siderates, Biological Additives, and Seed Treatment Technologies” doctoral dissertation defence

Author, Institution: Rimas Meištininkas, Lithuanian Energy Institute

Science area, field of science: Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T004

Research supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jūratė Žaltauskaitė (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T004)

Dissertation Defence Board of Environmental Engineering Science Field:
Prof. Dr. Žaneta Stasiškienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T 004) – chairperson
Dr. Christina Emmanouil (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T 004)
Chief Researcher Dr. Jūratė Kriaučiūnienė (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T004)
Prof. Dr. Dainius Martuzevičius (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering, T 004)
Senior Researcher Dr. Marius Praspaliauskas (Lithuanian Energy Institute, Technological Sciences, Energetics and Power Engineering, T006)

Dissertation defence meeting will be at the conference room at Lithuanian Energy Institute (Breslaujos 3 – 202, Kaunas)

 The doctoral dissertation is available at the library of Kaunas University of Technology (Gedimino 50, Kaunas) and on the internet: R. Meištininkas el. dissertation.pdf

Annotation: Globally, studies on the bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils are most commonly conducted using a single bioremediation method, with the primary focus placed on one objective: the efficiency of petroleum degradation, assessment of plant growth parameters, or the identification of microbial activity and specific microbial strains. Limited attention is given to the comprehensive restoration of soil health, meaning not only the removal of contaminants but also the evaluation of changes in soil nutrient content and microbiological activity. This study presents a comprehensive assessment of various soil bioremediation strategies, including phytoremediation, particularly through the selection of the most suitable legume species based on their morphological and phytoremediation properties and the application of plant growth-regulating technologies, such as seed treatment with cold plasma. Furthermore, the study explores the enhancement of bioremediation efficiency through the application of microbial inoculum and the combined use of a biosurfactant-based biological additive. The research evaluated both the individual and combined effects of these bioremediation methods, as well as the changes in soil nutrient content, enzymatic activity, and metabolic potential. The findings suggest that the integrated use of legume plants, biosurfactants, and microbial biopreparations can effectively improve soil microbiological activity while also enhancing or maintaining nitrogen and phosphorus compounds as well as water-soluble phenols in the remediated soil.