Native Soil Microflora Research Articles

Biodegradability Study of Modified Chitosan Films with Cinnamic Acid and Ellagic Acid in Soil.

Currently, natural polymer materials with bactericidal properties are extremely popular. Unfortunately, although the biopolymer material itself is biodegradable, its enrichment with bactericidal compounds may affect the efficiency of biodegradation by natural soil microflora. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma in facilitating the degradation of chitosan film modified with cinnamic acid and ellagic acid in the soil environment. Only two strains (T.07 and T.14) used chitosan films as a source of carbon and nitrogen. However, their respiratory activity decreased with the addition of tested phenolic acids, especially cinnamic acid. Addition of Trichoderma isolates to the soil increased oxygen consumption during the biodegradation process compared with native microorganisms, especially after application of the T.07 and T.14 consortium. Isolates T.07 and T.14 showed high lipolytic (55.78 U/h and 62.21 U/h) and chitinase (43.03 U/h and 41.27 U/h) activities. Chitinase activity after incorporation of the materials into the soil was higher for samples enriched with T.07, T.14 and the consortium. The isolates were classified as Trichoderma sp. and Trichoderma koningii. Considering the outcomes derived from our findings, it is our contention that the application of Trichoderma isolates holds promise for expediting the degradation process of chitosan materials containing bactericidal compounds.

Liquid Bioformulation: A Trending Approach Towards Achieving Sustainable Agriculture.

The human population is expanding at an exponential rate, and has created a great surge in the demand for food production. To intensify the rate of crop production, there is a tremendous usage of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. The practice of using these chemicals to enhance crop productivity has resulted in the degradation of soil fertility, leading to the depletion of native soil microflora. The constant application of these hazardous chemicals in the soil possesses major threat to humans and animals thereby impacting the agroecosystem severely. Hence, it is very important to hunt for certain new alternatives for enhancing crop productivity in an eco-friendly manner by using the microbial bioformulations. Microbial bioformulations can be mainly divided into two types: solid and liquid. There is a lot of information available on the subject of solid bioformulation, but the concept of liquid bioformulation is largely ignored. This article focuses on the diverse spectrum of liquid bioformulation pertaining to the market capture, its different types, potency of the product, mode of usage, and the limitations encountered. Also the authors have tried to include all the strategies required for sensitizing and making liquid bioformulation approach cost effective and as a greener strategy to succeed in developing countries.

Microbial Remediation: A Promising Tool for Reclamation of Contaminated Sites with Special Emphasis on Heavy Metal and Pesticide Pollution: A Review

Heavy metal and pesticide pollution have become an inevitable part of the modern industrialized environment that find their way into all ecosystems. Because of their persistent nature, recalcitrance, high toxicity and biological enrichment, metal and pesticide pollution has threatened the stability of the environment as well as the health of living beings. Due to the environmental persistence of heavy metals and pesticides, they get accumulated in the environs and consequently lead to food chain contamination. Therefore, remediation of heavy metals and pesticide contaminations needs to be addressed as a high priority. Various physico-chemical approaches have been employed for this purpose, but they have significant drawbacks such as high expenses, high labor, alteration in soil properties, disruption of native soil microflora and generation of toxic by-products. Researchers worldwide are focusing on bioremediation strategies to overcome this multifaceted problem, i.e., the removal, immobilization and detoxification of pesticides and heavy metals, in the most efficient and cost-effective ways. For a period of millions of evolutionary years, microorganisms have become resistant to intoxicants and have developed the capability to remediate heavy metal ions and pesticides, and as a result, they have helped in the restoration of the natural state of degraded environs with long term environmental benefits. Keeping in view the environmental and health concerns imposed by heavy metals and pesticides in our society, we aimed to present a generalized picture of the bioremediation capacity of microorganisms. We explore the use of bacteria, fungi, algae and genetically engineered microbes for the remediation of both metals and pesticides. This review summarizes the major detoxification pathways and bioremediation technologies; in addition to that, a brief account is given of molecular approaches such as systemic biology, gene editing and omics that have enhanced the bioremediation process and widened its microbiological techniques toward the remediation of heavy metals and pesticides.

Effects of soil biotic and abiotic properties on the growth and mycorrhization of Cedrus atlantica Manetti cedars

Cedrus atlantica Manetti is an emblematic species of great ecological, economic and social value. However, its weak root architecture seriously compromises (re)afforestation and regeneration of the species. Although it is known that mycorrhization is beneficial to cedars growing in unfavourable conditions, our knowledge on the mycorrhization of cedar seedlings is remains patchy. These difficulties show a need to study the interactions between the roots and the soil biotic and abiotic factors and to seek solutions to promote the mycorrhization of cedar seedlings. For this purpose, we studied the responses of cedar seedlings to the physico-chemical, textural, hydromechanical and microbiological factors of the soil and mycorrhization success in juvenile cedars. The response of C. atlantica seedlings to the textural and physico-chemical properties of soils in cedar woods shows that they are highly dependent on organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents and on the soil's granulometry. These factors stimulate the growth of secondary roots in some soils while in others, they cause seedling growth to predominate. The provenances of C. atlantica show a high nitrogen requirement and different preferences for nitrogen forms. Variations in the cotyledons also reveal different patterns of adaptation to nitrogen nutrition. The hydromechanical properties of the culture medium profoundly affect C. atlantica seedlings, so that in extreme cases, they either over-stimulate the elongation of unbranched main roots or completely inhibit their elongation, producing a great many reduced lateral roots. On the anatomical scale, these responses are more apparent around the cortex. Interactions with the native soil microflora have a determining effect on the growth of C. atlantica seedlings, since the microbial composition of the soil can stimulate growth and decrease the density of roots. The nutrient depletion of 6 soils allowed the trapping of 15 species of ectomycorrhizal fungi of young C. atlantica seedlings. This indicates the crucial importance of this new range of mycorrhizal fungi, characterized for the first time in C. atlantica seedlings, especially for work aiming to improve the health status of cedar seedlings.

Metabolically dependent consortia in biofilm: A new horizon for green agriculture

The use of bio-fertilizers in agricultural fields in the form of microorganisms is an eco-friendly way of improving crop yield. The applied microbes, however, face challenges while successfully establishing themselves in the rhizosphere or endosphere of plants due to the competing native soil and plant microflora. To this problem, microbial biofilms are a potential solution as they prolong plant-microbe contacts at various plant surfaces often leading to beneficial outcomes. Microbial biofilms are widely studied due to their adverse impacts in the healthcare sector, water distribution system, food industry, and plant diseases. Recent reports suggest that microbial biofilms may have a positive impact on crop productivity. In this article, we have tried to review the various interactions found between plant and their associated microbes leading to co-metabolic associations and discussed the different ways by which microbes communicate in the microenvironments of the biofilm. Metabolically dependent syntrophic biofilms have been discussed as an area to study in the connection with the agricultural system. Syntrophic biofilms, although less known related to plants may influence the plant growth and yield for a better farming system.

Novel Nanobiocomposites Based on Natural Polysaccharides as Universal Trophic Low-Dose Micronutrients.

New promising manganese-containing nanobiocomposites (NCs) based on natural polysaccharides, arabinogalactan (AG), arabinogalactan sulfate (AGS), and κ-carrageenan (κ-CG) were studied to develop novel multi-purpose trophic low-dose organomineral fertilizers. The general toxicological effects of manganese (Mn) on the vegetation of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) was evaluated in this study. The essential physicochemical properties of this trace element in plant tissues, such as its elemental analysis and its spectroscopic parameters in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), were determined. Potato plants grown in an NC-containing medium demonstrated better biometric parameters than in the control medium, and no Mn accumulated in plant tissues. In addition, the synthesized NCs demonstrated a pronounced antibacterial effect against the phytopathogenic bacterium Clavibacter sepedonicus (Cms) and were proved to be safe for natural soil microflora.

Potential of biochar after the biological activation by native soil microflora

Objective. Dehydrogenase activity after the biological activation of biochar by the native soil microorganisms was studied. The main aim was to improve biochar properties by activation and make it more friendly for the soil microflora. Materials and methods. The activation was reached by aerating with the soil solution for two weeks. No special inoculum of microorganisms was applied. The following treatments in four replicates were prepared: conventional raw biochar (BR), activated biochar (BA), mineral fertilizer DAM 390 (NF), and control (C). A statistical test for comparing treatments means (Fisher p≤0.05; program STATISTICA 12.0; StatSoft software Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA) was used. Results. Statistically significant differences in the dehydrogenase activity between the treatments BR, BA, and C were found. Application of mineral fertilizers had a negative effect and increasing of nitrogen leaching was observed. Conclusions. Activating of biochar is suitable metods for impove soil biota conition compared with convention biochar.

Isolation and selection of endophytic spore-forming bacteria with plant growth promoting properties isolated from Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. (yerba mate).

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.) is a species native to the subtropical regions of South America. Despite being an important crop for the region, there are few studies on the use of microorganisms to improve the growth of seedlings in the nursery stage. The objective of this study was to isolate spore-forming endophytic bacteria with plant growth promoting properties associated with yerba mate seedlings and determine their phytobeneficial effect under controlled laboratory conditions. Isolates were selected based on their sporulation capacity and evaluated for in vitro plant growth promoting properties (nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, production of siderophores and synthesis of indolic compounds). Yerba mate seedlings were inoculated with the most promising isolates, which were identified via analyses of the sequence of their 16S rDNA gene as Bacillus circulans (12RS3) and Bacillus altitudinis (19RS3, T5S-T4). After 120 days plants showed higher root dry weight when inoculated with isolate 19RS3 and higher shoot dry weight with 19RS3 and T5S-T4. In conclusion, further studies to determine the ability of these isolates to adapt to the climatic conditions and to survive amidst the native soil microflora in yerba mate cultivated native soils, will be crucial for developing such strains as biofertilizer.

Effect of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles on native soil microflora via plant transport during plant-pathogen-nanoparticles interaction.

In this study, the interaction of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (BSNP) with native soil via plant transport was assessed in model pathosystem of Arabidopsis thaliana and Alternaria brassicicola. Foliar application of 5μg/mL of BSNP reduced number of spores of fungi to 2.2×105 from 7×105, while numbers of lesions got reduced to 0.9/leaf in treated plants compared to 2.9/leaf in pathogen-infected plant without altering soil pH, electric conductivity, soil organic carbon and soil microbial biomass carbon. Soil enzyme activities including dehydrogenase, acid and alkaline phosphatase, urease, β-glucosidase and protease did not alter significantly in BSNP-treated plants compared to control plants. Application of BSNP did not alter the number of cultivable bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes. Effect of BSNP on uncultured bacterial diversity was measured by DGGE analysis which revealed similar banding pattern in all different treatments except in A. brassicicola-infected (AB) and A. brassicicola-infected plants treated with silver nanoparticles (AB+BSNP) after 120days. Although AB-infected plants exhibited a decrease in bacterial diversity, treatment of AB+BSNP after 120days demonstrated maximum bacterial diversity. McIntosh, Shannon, and Simpson diversity indices were calculated based on carbon source utilization pattern by BIOLOG analysis, revealing no significant difference among all treatments in different time intervals. BSNPs have the potential to act as strong antimicrobial agent for plant disease management without altering the native soil microflora.

Impact of single and co-inoculations with Rhizobial and PGPR isolates on chickpea (Cicer arietinum) in cereal-growing zone soil

ABSTRACTStrains isolated from chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) rhizospheric soil from selected sites in Algeria were screened for their plant-growth-promoting potential, for indole acetic acid production and P solubilization ability. Then, we selected native rhizobial strains with high nitrogen-fixing potential. On the basis of their efficiency under controlled conditions, two plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) isolates and three nodulating bacteria were selected. Then, the effect of single PGPR isolates inoculation was compared to their combination with rhizobial inoculants on plant growth, on native cereal-growing soils under greenhouse conditions. No effects were observed on chickpea yield by using rhizobial inoculation alone, nor by PGPR-rhizobial co-inoculation on two soils presenting weak and no nodulation pattern in natural conditions. Only PGPR inoculation improved growth of plants on soil with no nodulation pattern. These findings emphasized inoculation on native soils at a little scale before large assays on field because no one could predict inocula behavior with native soil microflora.

Transport of radionuclides and heavy metals during the cleanup of a polluted cinnamonic soil

A fresh sample of cinnamonic soil heavily polluted with radionuclides (U, Ra) and toxic heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn) was subjected to clean-up in lysimeters containing 70 kg of soil each. The clean-up was connected with solubilization of the pollutants located mainly in the horizon A, their transportation through the soil profile in soluble forms, and their precipitation in the rich-in-clay subhorizon B3. The solubilization was studied by means of different variants and it was due to the joint action of natural soil microflora and leach waters containing ammonium and phosphate ions, and in some cases-hydrocarbonate ions. Additionally, the microbial activity in some lysimeters was enhanced by mulching the top soil horizon A with finely-cut hay and maintaining optimal soil humidity by controlling the irrigation rate. After 18 months of treatment, each of the soil profiles in different lysimeters was divided into five sections reflecting the different soil layers (horizon A, and the subhorizons B1, B2, B3, B4). The soil in these sections was subjected to a detailed chemical analysis and the data obtained were compared with the relevant data obtained before the start of the treatment. It was found that considerable fractions of the pollutants were removed from the horizon A and were transported to different zones in the soil profile, mainly in the subhorizons B3 and B4. In these subhorizons the non-ferrous metals were precipitated mainly as the relevant sulphides, uranium was precipitated mainly as uraninite (UO2), and radium-mainly as adsorbed ions and complexes. The transport and precipitation of pollutants depended strongly on the pH, the content of dissolved organic compounds in the soil solutions, and the prevailing anaerobic conditions maintained into deeper soil horizons.

Quantifying the Contribution of Entire Free-Living Nematode Communities to Carbon Mineralization under Contrasting C and N Availability.

To understand the roles of nematodes in organic matter (OM) decomposition, experimental setups should include the entire nematode community, the native soil microflora, and their food sources. Yet, published studies are often based on either simplified experimental setups, using only a few selected species of nematode and their respective prey, despite the multitude of species present in natural soil, or on indirect estimation of the mineralization process using O2 consumption and the fresh weight of nematodes. We set up a six-month incubation experiment to quantify the contribution of the entire free living nematode community to carbon (C) mineralization under realistic conditions. The following treatments were compared with and without grass-clover amendment: defaunated soil reinoculated with the entire free living nematode communities (+Nem) and defaunated soil that was not reinoculated (-Nem). We also included untreated fresh soil as a control (CTR). Nematode abundances and diversity in +Nem was comparable to the CTR showing the success of the reinoculation. No significant differences in C mineralization were found between +Nem and -Nem treatments of the amended and unamended samples at the end of incubation. Other related parameters such as microbial biomass C and enzymatic activities did not show significant differences between +Nem and -Nem treatments in both amended and unamended samples. These findings show that the collective contribution of the entire nematode community to C mineralization is small. Previous reports in literature based on simplified experimental setups and indirect estimations are contrasting with the findings of the current study and further investigations are needed to elucidate the extent and the mechanisms of nematode involvement in C mineralization.

Biodegradation behavior of three-layer sheets based on gelatin and poly (lactic acid) buried under indoor soil conditions

The biodegradation of three-layer sheets composed by glycerol-plasticized bovine gelatin film as the inner layer and coated with two outer layers of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was examined under indoor soil burial conditions during 120 days, using the natural soil microflora as degrading medium. The residual degraded samples of the multilayer and individual components were taken regularly from the soil to determine water uptake, weight loss, variations in thermal properties and morphology. The multilayer sheet exhibited reduced water uptake as compared to the gelatin counterpart, which was associated with the protection of the middle gelatin layer against water by the hydrophobic PLA layer at both sides. The gelatin layer almost disappeared after 25 days, while the pure PLA layer suffered marginal weight loss on day 120 in soil. On the contrary, the multilayer sheet was degraded to a much greater extent, leading to an overall mass reduction of approximately 20% at the end of the experiment. The presence of gelatin in the multilayer seems to enhance water availability around the three-layer sheet soil micro-environment, inducing gelatin hydrolysis (chemical and enzymatic) which favors the abiotic hydrolysis of PLA, and, in turn, possibly stimulates the action of more active soil microorganisms against PLA. This was experimentally confirmed by the presence of filamentous (actinomycete and fungi) microbes on the surface of the multilayer. The glass transition temperature of the degraded multilayer samples slightly increased while the degree of crystallinity augmented significantly up to 78% on day 120, evidencing the crystallization of the amorphous PLA induced by bio/degradation in soil.

Assessment of imidacloprid degradation by soil-isolated Bacillus alkalinitrilicus.

Imidacloprid is extensively used on a broad range of crops worldwide as seed dressing, soil treatment, and foliar application. Hence, the degradation potential of bacterial strains from sugarcane-growing soils was studied in liquid medium for subsequent use in bioremediation of contaminated soils. The microbe cultures degrading imidacloprid were isolated and enriched on Dorn's broth containing imidacloprid as sole carbon source maintained at 28°C and Bacillus alkalinitrilicus showed maximum potential to degrade imidacloprid. Clay loam soil samples were fortified with imidacloprid at 50, 100, and 150mgkg(-1) along with 45 × 10(7) microbe cells under two opposing sets of conditions, viz., autoclaved and unautoclaved. To study degradation and metabolism of imidacloprid under these two conditions, samples were drawn at regular intervals of 7, 14, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56days. Among metabolites, three metabolites were detected, viz., 6-chloronicotinic acid, nitrosimine followed by imidacloprid-NTG under both the conditions. Total imidacloprid residues were not found to follow the first-order kinetics in both types of conditions. This paper reports for the first time the potential use of pure cultures of soil-isolated native bacterium B. alkalinitrilicus and also its use along with natural soil microflora for remediation of imidacloprid-contaminated soils.

Biological Composition of Sewage Sludge in the Aspect of Threats to the Natural Environment

One of the prerequisites for sustainable development is integrated waste management, including sewage sludge. Besides its good fertilization properties, sewage sludge, which is an inevitable by-product of sewage treatment, accumulates toxic chemical substances and dangerous pathogenic and toxicogenic organisms. Uncontrolled introduction of sewage sludge into soil might pose a serious threat to food chain and natural soil microfl ora. This in effect might disturb the ecological balance in a particular ecosystem. This study presents author's own investigations of the sanitary conditions of sewage sludge and the conditions after the processes of aerobic and anaerobic stabilization. The investigated sewage sludge originated from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The sewage sludge samples were transferred onto proliferation and diagnostic media. The results of the analysis obtained in this study confi rmed that sewage sludge is a material which is rich in microorganisms, including pathogenic bacterial species such as: Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Mycological tests demonstrated that sewage sludge is a material which is conducive to proliferation of yeast- -like and mould-like fungi, among which both pathogenic and toxinogenic species can be present. Quantitative analysis of the investigated sewage sludge demonstrated that the processes of stabilization reduce the content of microorganisms but they do not guarantee product safety in sanitary terms. A huge variability and variety of biological composition points to the need for further research in the fi eld of sanitary characteristics of sewage sludge and survival rate in microorganisms from different types of sewage sludge.

Evidence for Occurrence, Persistence, and Growth Potential of <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Enterococci in Hawaii’s Soil Environments

High densities of Escherichia coli and enterococci are common in freshwaters on Oahu and other Hawaiian Islands. Soil along stream banks has long been suspected as the likely source of these bacteria; however, the extent of their occurrence and distribution in a wide range of soils remained unknown until the current investigation. Soil samples representing the seven major soil associations were collected on the island of Oahu and analyzed for fecal coliforms, E. coli, and enterococci by the most probable number method. Fecal coliforms, E. coli, and enterococci were found in most of the samples analyzed; log mean densities (MPN ± SE g soil−1) were 1.96±0.18, n=61; 1.21±0.17, n=57; and 2.99±0.12, n=62, respectively. Representative, presumptive cultures of E. coli and enterococci collected from the various soils were identified and further speciated using the API scheme; at least six species of Enterococcus, including Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, were identified. In mesocosm studies, E. coli and enterococci increased by 100-fold in 4 days, after mixing sewage-spiked soil (one part) with autoclaved soil (nine parts). E. coli remained metabolically active in the soil and readily responded to nutrients, as evidenced by increased dehydrogenase activity. Collectively, these findings indicate that populations of E. coli and enterococci are part of the natural soil microflora, potentially influencing the quality of nearby water bodies.

Field monitoring of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria by colony immunoblotting

Inoculant plant-growth-promoting bacteria are emerging as an important component of sustainable agriculture. There is a need to develop inexpensive methods for enumerating these organisms after their application in the field, to better understand their survival and impacts on yields. Immunoblotting is one potential method to measure viable cells, but the high cost of the conventionally used nylon membranes makes this method prohibitive. In this study, less expensive alternative materials such as filter papers, glossy photo papers, and transparencies for the purpose of colony immunoblotting were evaluated and the best substance was chosen for further studies. Whatman filter paper No. 541 combined with a 0.01 mol·L(-1) H(2)SO(4) rinsing step gave similar results to nylon membranes but <20% of the overall cost of the original colony immunoblotting assay. The application of the modified immunoblot method was tested on nonsterile clay soil samples that were spiked with high numbers (>10(7) CFU·g(-1)) of the plant-growth-promoting bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens , Azospirillum brasilense , or Rhizobium leguminosarum . The modified protocol allowed the identification and recovery of over 50% of the inoculated cells of all three strains, amidst a background of the native soil microflora. Subsequently, the survival of P. fluorescens was successfully monitored for several months after application to field-grown rice at Jerilderie, New South Wales, Australia, thus validating the procedure.

Terrestrial microcosms in a feasibility study on the remediation of diesel-contaminated soils

Phytoremediation and bioremediation are site-specific processes, and feasibility studies should be performed as an initial step in scaling-up these processes. Soil microcosms can be a useful tool for investigating the efficiency of remediation alternatives under realistic conditions. In the present study, the degradation of diesel fuel in soil was studied in artificially assembled microcosms during a 180-day experiment. Microcosms consisted of soil columns seeded with a mix of Festuca arundinacea and Trifolium pratense into which earthworms were introduced and native soil microflora was used. Remediation assays were performed with different combinations of soil organisms' assemblages (micro-organisms, earthworms and plants) to determine the effects of these organisms and their interaction on diesel degradation. The microcosm system allowed for the study of the efficiency of remediation under field-relevant conditions. This system provided information about the dissipation of the pollutants as well as chemical leaching and possible toxic effects on the organisms during the remediation process. The decrease in soil hydrocarbon levels depended on the organisms' assemblage. Plants were not effective in the remediation of these soils despite their stimulation of microbial biomass. Conversely, earthworms had a beneficial impact on the dissipation of hydrocarbons that did not appear to be related to a generic improvement of plant or microbial activity. The grass species was more tolerant than the legume species to diesel fuel-contaminated soils. Leaching of hydrocarbons was negligible and independent of the organisms' assemblage.

Ex situ slurry phase bioremediation of chrysene contaminated soil with the function of metabolic function: Process evaluation by data enveloping analysis (DEA) and Taguchi design of experimental methodology (DOE)

Bioremediation of chrysene in soil matrix was evaluated in soil slurry phase bioreactor in conjugation with metabolic functions (aerobic, anoxic and anaerobic), microenvironment (single and mixed) conditions and nature of mixed consortia (native/resident mixed microflora and bioaugmented inoculum). Twelve experiments were operated independently in agitated-batch reactor keeping all other operating conditions constant (substrate loading rate – 0.084 g chrysene/kg soil-day; soil loading rate – 10 kg soil/m 3-day (3:25 soil water ratio); operating temperature – 35 ± 2° C). Data envelopment analysis (DEA) procedure was employed to analyze the performance of experimental variations in terms of chrysene degradation and pH. The efficacy of anoxic metabolism over the corresponding aerobic and anaerobic metabolic functions was documented. Aerobic metabolic function showed effective degradation capability under mixed microenvironment after augmentation with anaerobic inoculum. Anaerobic metabolic function showed lowest degradation potential. Application of bioaugmentation showed positive influence on the chrysene degradation rate. Design of experimental methodology (DOE) by Taguchi approach was applied to evaluate the effect of four selected factors (native soil microflora, microenvironment, metabolic function and bioaugmentation) on the chrysene degradation process. The optimized factors derived from analysis depicted the requirement of native soil microflora under anoxic metabolic function using mixed microenvironment after augmenting with anaerobic inoculum for achieving effective chrysene degradation efficacy.

The effect of ryegrass ( Lolium perenne) on decrease of PAH content in long term contaminated soil

The biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in microecosystems containing long-term contaminated soil was investigated. Soil was contaminated by different chemicals, including PAHs since World War II. Aging of the soil was expected to act as a principal factor limiting biodegradation. Half of the microecosystems contained ryegrass ( Lolium perenne) and long-term selected natural soil microflora originally present in contaminated soil. The others contained contaminated soil with natural microflora only. Half of the microecosystems in each parallel experiment was fertilised with N–P–K fertiliser. Cultivation was carried out at 12 and 18 months in a greenhouse with a natural photoperiod and the ability to degrade 15 chosen PAH was investigated. For analysis, the soil from each pot was divided into three horizontal layers for mutual comparison among layers and each layer was further divided into four equal samples. Soil extracts were analysed using HPLC. After a one-year-cultivation period the content of the monitored PAHs declined to 50%. Mostly, there were no significant differences between the microecosystems. Best degraded were fluoranthene and pyrene, which were the major contaminants present in original soil. Also, other compounds were successfully degraded, even benzo[ a]pyrene and benzo[ ghi]perylene. Dibenz[ a, h]anthracene and indeno[1,2,3- cd]pyrene were the only PAHs, examined that showed no significant degradation. Although some differences between the soil layers were detected, no conclusive trends could be found. However, significantly lower concentrations of PAHs were determined mostly in the bottom layer of the analysed profiles. In vegetated microecosystems the decline of PAHs concentrations was more remarkable after 18 months cultivation.