The physiological and biochemical responses of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. to cadmium (Cd) (30 mg kg-1) and oil sludge (OS) (16 g kg-1) present in soil both separately and as a mixture were studied in pot experiments. The addition of oil sludge as a co-contaminant decreased Cd entry into the plant by almost 80% and simultaneously decreased the stimulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase. The decrease in glutathione reductase (GR) activity and the increase in glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity under the influence of oil sludge indicated that its components were detoxified by conjugation with glutathione. Cd additionally activated the antioxidant and detoxifying potential of the plant enzymatic response to stress. This helped to enhance the degradation rate of oil sludge in the rhizosphere, in which the participation of the root-released enzymes in the degradation could be possible. Cd increased the extent of soil clean-up from oil sludge, mainly owing to the elimination of paraffins, naphthenes, and mono- and bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The mutual influence of the pollutants on the biochemical responses of sorghum and on soil clean-up was evaluated. The results are important for understanding the antistress and detoxification responses of the remediating plant to combined environmental pollution.
Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; Cadmium; Oil sludge; Oxidative enzymes; Sorghum bicolor.