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Title: Indigenous and enhanced mineralization of pyrene, benzo(a)pyrene, and carbazole in soils

Journal Article · · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)
OSTI ID:6003808
; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Cincinnati, OH (United States)

The authors studied the mineralization of pyrene, carbazole, and benzo(a)pyrene in soils obtained from three abandoned coal gasification plants in southern Illinois. The soils had different histories of past exposure to hydrocarbon contamination and different amounts of total organic carbon, microbial biomass, and microbial activity. Mineralization was measured by using serum bottle radiorespirometry. The levels of indigenous mineralization of {sup 14}C-labeled compounds ranged from 10 to 48% for pyrene, from undetectable to 46% for carbazole, and from undetectable to 25% for benzo(a)pyrene following long-term (<180-day) incubations. Pyrene and carbazole were degraded with short or no lag periods in all soils, but benzo(a)pyrene mineralization occurred after a 28-day lag period. Mineralization was not dependent on high levels of microbial biomass and activity in the soils. Bacterial cultures that were capable of degrading pyrene and carbazole were isolated by enrichment, grown in pure culture, and reintroduced into soils. Reintroduction of a pyrene-degrading bacterium enhanced mineralization to a level of 55% within 2 days, compared with a level of 1% for the indigenous population. The carbazole degrader enhanced mineralization to a level of 45% after 7 days in a soil that showed little indigenous carbazole mineralization. The pyrene and carbazole degraders which they isolated were identified as a Mycobacterium sp. and Xanthamonas sp., respectively.

OSTI ID:
6003808
Journal Information:
Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Vol. 57:12; ISSN 0099-2240
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English