Effects of soil amendment with different carbon sources and other factors on the bioremediation of an aged PAH-contaminated soil

• Published in: Biodegradation (Dordrecht) Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 167 - 178
• Main Authors: Teng, Ying, Luo, Yongming, Ping, Lifeng, Zou, Dexun, Li, Zhengao, Christie, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01.04.2010; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Agricultural pollution; Aquatic Pollution; Bacteria - growth & development; Bacteria - metabolism; Biodegradation; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bioremediation; Biotechnology; Carbon; Carbon - metabolism; Carbon content; Carbon sources; Chemicals; Dextrose; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi - growth & development; Fungi - metabolism; Geochemistry; Glucose; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - metabolism; Original Paper; Phenanthrene; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - metabolism; Pyrene; Sodium; Soil - analysis; Soil aeration; Soil amendment; Soil contamination; Soil Microbiology; Soil microorganisms; Soil moisture; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Soil Science & Conservation; Soils; Starch; Terrestrial Pollution; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Phenanthrene; Benzo(a)pyrene; Indigenous microorganisms; Soil moisture; Carbon; Soil aeration; Biodegradation; Hydrocarbon; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Soil pollution; Aeration; Pyrene; Soils; Amendment; Humidity; Bioremediation; Microorganism
• ISSN: 0923-9820; 1572-9729
• DOI: 10.1007/s10532-009-9291-x

Carbon supplementation, soil moisture and soil aeration are believed to enhance in situ bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soils by stimulating the growth of indigenous microorganisms. However, the effects of added carbon and nitrogen together with soil moisture and soil aeration on the dissipation of PAHs and on associated microbial counts have yet to be fully assessed. In this study the effects on bioremediation of carbon source, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, soil moisture and aeration on an aged PAH-contaminated agricultural soil were studied in microcosms over a 90-day period. Additions of starch, glucose and sodium succinate increased soil bacterial and fungal counts and accelerated the dissipation of phenanthrene and benzo(a)pyrene in soil. Decreases in phenanthrene and benzo(a)pyrene concentrations were effective in soil supplemented with glucose and sodium succinate (both 0.2 g C kg⁻¹ dry soil) and starch (1.0 g C kg⁻¹ dry soil). The bioremediation effect at a C/N ratio of 10:1 was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than at a C/N of either 25:1 or 40:1. Soil microbial counts and PAH dissipation were lower in the submerged soil but soil aeration increased bacterial and fungal counts, enhanced indigenous microbial metabolic activities, and accelerated the natural degradation of phenanthrene and benzo(a)pyrene. The results suggest that optimizing carbon source, C/N ratio, soil moisture and aeration conditions may be a feasible remediation strategy in certain PAH contaminated soils with large active microbial populations.