Interaction of Humic Substances and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) during the Biodegradation of PAHs

Abstract

AbstractThe influence of humic substances (HS) on the biodegradation of naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene was studied. As a source of HS, water samples of a bog lake (Hohlohsee) were used. PAH degradation experiments, both in the presence and absence of HS were carried out. All investigated PAHs were degradable by the used bacterial mixed culture. A correlation between the number of aromatic rings of the PAHs and the influence of HS on biodegradation has been shown. Adding of HS led to a decrease in degradation rate in the case of naphthalene. By way of contrast, the presence of HS gave rise to an increase of degradation rate in the case of phenanthrene. The degradation processes of pyrene revealed a marked alteration in the presence of HS which could be deduced from the biochemical oxygen demand (t(1/2BODmax) values). With regard to the total turnover of the PAHs, there was no noticeable difference between degradation experiments with and without HS. Analyses of the HS after degradation experiments using liquid chromatography coupled with DOC detection (LC/OCD) verify that there was no formation of stable associations between HS and PAHs or their metabolites. The determination of the toxicity of the degradation media as luminescence inhibition against Vibrio fischeri (Photobacterium phosphoreum) showed no detoxification as a result of the presence of HS.