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Benzo(a)pyrene degradation and microbial community responses in composted soil

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Abstract

Benzo(a)pyrene degradation was compared in soil that was either composted, incubated at a constant temperature of 22 °C, or incubated under a temperature regime typical of a composting process. After 84 days, significantly more (61%) benzo(a)pyrene was removed from composted soil compared to soils incubated at a constant temperature (29%) or at composting temperatures (46%). Molecular fingerprinting approaches indicated that in composted soils, bacterial community changes were driven by both temperature and organic amendment, while fungal community changes were primarily driven by temperature. Next-generation sequencing data revealed that the bacterial community in composted soil was dominated by Actinobacteria (order Actinomycetales), Firmicutes (class Bacilli), and Proteobacteria (classes Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria), regardless of whether benzo(a)pyrene was present or not. The relative abundance of unclassified Actinomycetales (Actinobacteria) was significantly higher in composted soil when degradation was occurring, indicating a potential role for these organisms in benzo(a)pyrene metabolism. This study provides baseline data for employing straw-based composting strategies for the removal of high molecular weight PAHs from soil and contributes to the knowledge of how microbial communities respond to incubation conditions and pollutant degradation.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the UCD China Scholarship Scheme, the SLAB scholarship program of the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education and the International Islamic University Malaysia, and the Ireland Wales Programme 2007–2013 (GIFT project). The authors would like to acknowledge Mr. Ray O’Haire from UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science for his technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biology and Environmental Science and Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Fengxiao Zhu, Sean Storey, Nicholas Clipson & Evelyn Doyle

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Kulliyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Malaysia

    Mardiana Mohd Ashaari

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  1. Fengxiao Zhu
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  2. Sean Storey
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  3. Mardiana Mohd Ashaari
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  4. Nicholas Clipson
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  5. Evelyn Doyle
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Correspondence to Evelyn Doyle.

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Responsible editor: Robert Duran

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Temperature regime used (GIF 49 kb)

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Zhu, F., Storey, S., Ashaari, M.M. et al. Benzo(a)pyrene degradation and microbial community responses in composted soil. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 5404–5414 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-8251-3

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