Enhancing pyrene mineralization in contaminated soil by the addition of humic acids or composted contaminated soil

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology 2001-08, Vol.56 (3/4), p.555-559
• Main Authors: Haderlein, A, Legros, R, Ramsay, B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Bacteria - metabolism; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Bioremediation; Biotechnology; Composting; Contamination; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humic acids; Humic Substances - analysis; Humic Substances - metabolism; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Ions; Microbiology; Mineralization; polluted soils; Pyrene; Pyrenes; Pyrenes - metabolism; salts; Soil (material); Soil - analysis; Soil contamination; Soil Microbiology; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Soils
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s002530000520

The addition of composted PAH-contaminated soil to PAH-contaminated soil spiked with 14C-labeled pyrene resulted in rapid mineralization of pyrene (more than 57% after 21 days compared with 3.4% in unamended soil). The addition of the humic acid fraction of the composted soil also increased the mineralization potential of the soil significantly, but to a lesser extent (37.5% mineralization after 106 days compared with 20.6% in unamended soil). Increasing the humic acid concentration increased mineralization up to a maximum of more than three times the unamended rate, after which the rate of pyrene mineralization decreased, possibly due to inhibitory pH or concentrations of salts. The amendment of PAH-contaminated soil with materials containing humic acids or humic acid extracts is suggested as a method of bioremediation.