skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Degradation of PAHs in soil by indigenous and inoculated bacteria

Conference ·
OSTI ID:474244
 [1]; ; ; ;  [2]
  1. Geological Survey of Denmark, Copenhagen (Denmark)
  2. VKI Water Quality Inst., Hoersholm (Denmark)

In soil heavily polluted by coal tar, the inherent mineralization of radio-labeled phenanthrene to {sup 14}CO{sub 2} was relatively slow, and a stimulation of degradation was observed by inoculation with a mixed population of PAH-degrading bacteria. A much faster inherent mineralization of phenanthrene was observed in soil slightly polluted by coal tar, and inoculation of this soil had no effect. Several phenanthrene-degrading bacteria were isolated from different soils. Two strains were further characterized as an Arthrobacter sp. and a Pseudomonas sp. In an organic medium without phenanthrene, growth rates of 0.52 h{sup {minus}1} and 0.71 h{sup {minus}1} were measured for the Arthrobacter sp. and the Pseudomonas sp., respectively. Most isolates grown in the phenanthrene-free medium, including the Arthrobacter sp., rapidly adapted to phenanthrene degradation following transfer to a phenanthrene-containing medium. In contrast, the phenanthrene-degrading capability of other strains, including the Pseudomonas sp., was lost during growth in the phenanthrene-free medium. Growth in an organic medium without phenanthrene of strains that retain the ability to degrade phenanthrene could prove to be a useful technique for production of PAH-degrading bacteria on a larger scale for soil inoculation.

OSTI ID:
474244
Report Number(s):
CONF-950483-; ISBN 1-57477-004-7; TRN: 97:008991
Resource Relation:
Conference: 3. international in situ and on-site bioreclamation symposium, San Diego, CA (United States), 24-27 Apr 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Bioaugmentation for site remediation; Hinchee, R.E.; Fredrickson, J.; Alleman, B.C. [eds.] [Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, OH (United States)]; PB: 272 p.; Bioremediation, Volume 3(3)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English