Ghafoori - Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
Ezatian - Graduate College of Energy and Environment , Science and Research Campus, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Ghadirian - Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
Yaghmaie - Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) petroleum contamination of soil is one of the common contaminants in the environment. One of the cost–effective options to remove contaminants from shallow soils is Phytoremediation. Vegetation by stimulating the microorganisms via releasing root exudates near the rhizosphere zone may play an important role in the biodegradation of toxic organic chemicals in soil. This experimental investigation outlines the efficiency of this emerging technology following the implementation of five plant species. The treatment in a greenhouse study carried out on the oil-contaminated soil. The microbial population and TOC (Total Organic Carbon) were assessed in the beginning, middle, and end of the trial. The root surface area was also measured at last. In this paper, according to microbial population, TOC data and root surface we studied the effects of diverse plants on phytoremediation. The results show that most of the plants chosen can tolerate the harsh condition of the soil and lead to decrease crude oil-contamination.

phytoremediation, oil-contaminated soil, microbial population, TOC