Strains of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) were isolated from an agricultural soil in France. In a field, a portion was treated with oily cuttings resulting from the drilling of an onshore well. The cuttings which were spread at the rate of 600 g HC m-2 contained 10% of fuel oil hydrocarbons (HC). Another part of the field was left untreated. Three months after HC spre...

Enhanced rates of phenanthrene biodegradation were observed in rhizosphere soils (17.2 and 15.5 mg/kg/d for initial and re-spiked additions, respectively) planted with slender oat (Arena barbara Pott ex Link) compared with unplanted bulk soil controls (12.4 and 10.7 mg/ kg/d). Soil microbial populations were characterized using a modified most probable number (MPN) method to determine quantitat...

Environmentally Degradable Parameter ((Ed)K) is of importance in the describing of biodegradability of environmentally biodegradable polymers (BDPs). In this study, a concept (Ed)K was introduced. A test procedure of using the ISO 14852 method and detecting the evolved carbon dioxide as an analytical parameter was developed, and the calculated (Ed)K was used as an indicator for the ultimate bio...

We report development of a novel parameter for quantifying the amount of humic and fulvic acids per unit surface area in a particular soil. This quantity, the "humic coverage index" (HCI), provides a measurement of the relative spatial extents and/or thicknesses of the humic/fulvic overlayers in different soils, and, therefore, can be used in modeling various soils' behavior in sequestration pr...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic compounds. Removal of these compounds has a great importance for environment. Removal of PAHs from soil is difficult as these chemicals are persistent in the soil. In this research, bioremediation of soil contaminated by (PAH) using Bacillus subtilis DSMZ 3256 (B.subtilis) strains was studied. The effect of electrokin...

biodegradation of phenol is a major focus of toxic organic compound degradation by microorganisms isolated from polluted areas. an increasing number of bacteria and fungi possessing unique biodegradation capabilities have been isolated in recent years. in this study a new isolate, rhodococcus erythropolis sko-1, from polluted soils in the tehran oil refinery region, is reported. identificati...

Novel cultivation strategies for bacteria are widespread and well described for recovering greater diversity from the "hitherto" unculturable majority. While similar approaches have not yet been demonstrated for fungi it has been suggested that of the 1.5 million estimated species less than 5% have been recovered into pure culture. Fungi are known to be involved in many degradative processes, i...

BACKGROUND The biotreatability of actual-site polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated soils is often limited by their poor content of autochthonous pollutant-degrading microorganisms. In such cases, inoculation might be the solution for a successful bioremediation. Some pure and mixed cultures of characterized PCB degrading bacteria have been tested to this purpose. However, several failure...

SCOPE AND BACKGROUND Contamination of soils, aquifers and groundwater by nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) pollutants constitutes a major environmental issue of concern, worldwide. The residual (biodegradation-resistant) hydrophobic fuel hydrocarbons entrapped in the soil porous matrix, possess a particular bioremediation challenge due to their becoming virtually immobile, nor desorbable, or water...

The ecology of hydrocarbon degradation by microbial populations in the natural environment is reviewed, emphasizing the physical, chemical, and biological factors that contribute to the biodegradation of petroleum and individual hydrocarbons. Rates of biodegradation depend greatly on the composition, state, and concentration of the oil or hydrocarbons, with dispersion and emulsification enhanci...