Enhancement of bioremediation of a creosote-contaminated soil

There is a growing concern in the US about the increasing number of industrial sites containing concentration of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in their soil and waste sludge above background levels. PAHs, neutral and non-polar organic compounds, consist of two or more fused benzene rings which are generated from industrial activities such as creosote wood treating, gas manufacturing, coke making, coal tar refining, petroleum refining, and aluminum smelting. Low molecular weight PAHs are generally considered as extremely toxic compounds, whereas the higher molecular weight PAHs are carcinogenic in nature. Bioremediation, a viable option for treatment of PAHs contaminated soil, can be enhanced by the use of surfactant. In this study a nonionic surfactant Triton X-100, was investigated. Abiotic soil desorption experiments were performed to determine the kinetics of release of selected PAH compounds from the soil matrix to the aqueous phase. Respirometric experiments were also conducted to evaluate the effect of nonionic surfactant on biodegradation. The N-Con system respirometer was used to monitor the oxygen uptake by the microorganisms. The abiotic experiments results indicated that the addition of surfactant to soil/water systems increases the desorption of PAH compounds. The increase in PAHs availability to the microorganisms produced an increase inmore » oxygen uptake.« less