Phenanthrene bioremediation in soils using an Antarctic bacterial consortium

RUBERTO L, VAZQUEZ SC, CURTOSI A, PELLETIER E, MAC CORMACK WP

Pinamar, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Congreso; XLI Reunión Anual de la SAIB; 2005

SAIB

A bioremediation assay was carried out with soil from Jubany Station. Soil from 75 cm depth having a low level of PAHs contamination (1200 ppb) was removed, added with 1.5 gr of phenanthrene per kg and placed in 1 l flasks. The assay comprised a community control (CC), a biostimulated system (FMB700), a bioaugmented system (M10) and a biostimulated - bioaugmented system (M10-FMB700). In the biostimulated systems, a 9:1 mix (FMB700) of an organic source of P and N (fish meal) and a surfactant (Brij700) was added (3% w/w). Bioaugmentation was carried out using a PAHs-degrading Antarctic bacterial consortium (M10). Total heterotrophic aerobic bacteria were determined on CPS agar plates and hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria on agarized saline basal medium with diesel fuel and phenanthrene as sole carbon and energy source. Soil samples were extracted with dichloromethane and extracts cleaned up. Phenanthrene concentration was determined by GC-MS. Results were analyzed by One-way ANOVA. After 56 days, phenanthrene concentration decreased by 46% in the M10-FMB700 system, showing significant differences compared with M10 system (28.4 % of removal), FMB700 system (21.9 % of removal) and the CC system (18.9 % of removal). Bioaugmentation combined with biostimulation was the most effective strategy for phenanthrene bioremediation under Antarctic conditions.