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Evaluation of constraints in bioremediation of weathered hydrocarbon-contaminated arid soils through microcosm biopile study
Ramadass, K.; Smith, E.; Palanisami, T.; Mathieson, G.; Srivastava, P.; Megharaj, M. & Naidu, R.
Abstract
This research investigated the factors influencing
bioremediation (biopile) of arid soils contaminated
by weathered hydrocarbons. Five soils were thoroughly
characterised to determine total petroleum hydrocarbons
(TPH), their physicochemical properties and microbial
diversity. Identified biopile-limiting factors are to be
elevated petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations, high
electrical conductivity and the magnitude of the recalcitrant
hydrocarbon fraction. To optimise the biopile parameters,
microcosm study was conducted which showed
significant TPH reduction in three of five soils (BP-1, BP-
2 and BP-4) but not in other two (BP-3 and BP-5), where
BP-3 had a very high hydrocarbon concentration
(123,757 mg kg-1) and BP-5 had a high proportion of
recalcitrant hydrocarbons (>70 % of C29). Highest TPH
removal (68 %) occurred in soil BP-2 and the lowest
(5 %) in soil BP-3 over 56 days. Surfactant (Triton) addition,
nutrient amendment or the soil dilution did not
improve TPH degradation in soils BP-3 and BP-5. Phylogenetic
analysis conducted during the remediation process
found that hydrocarbon concentration and
hydrocarbon fraction exerted the main effect on bacterial
abundance, diversity and assemblage composition. At
lower concentrations (~1000–4000 mg kg-1), bacterial
diversity and abundance increased significantly, whilst
decreased in higher concentrations. Although high TPH
content and detection of TPH degraders, TPH biodegradation
is limited in soil (BP-5) due to the presence of less
soluble hydrocarbon fraction which indicated low TPH
bioavailability (~7 %). Biopile could be applied as a
technology to remediate three soils (BP-1, BP-2 and BP-
4) but further modification of the biopile treatments required
for other two soils BP-3 and BP-5.
Keywords
Bioremediation; Biopile; Weathered hydrocarbons; Microbial diversity; Pyrosequencing; TPH
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