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Correlations between PAH bioavailability, degrading bacteria, and soil characteristics during PAH biodegradation in five diffusely contaminated dissimilar soils

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Abstract

The natural biodegradation of seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by native microorganisms was studied in five soils from Normandy (France) from diffusely polluted areas, which can also pose a problem in terms of surfaces and amounts of contaminated soils. Bioavailability tests using cyclodextrin-based extractions were performed. The natural degradation of low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs was not strongly correlated to their bioavailability due to their sorption to geosorbents. Conversely, the very low degradation of high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs was partly correlated to their poor availability, due to their sorption on complexes of organic matter and kaolinites or smectites. A principal component analysis allowed us to distinguish between the respective degradation behaviors of LMW and HMW PAHs. LMW PAHs were degraded in less than 2–3 months and were strongly influenced by the relative percentage of phenanthrene-degrading bacteria over total bacteria in soils. HMW PAHs were not significantly degraded, not only because they were less bioavailable but also because of a lack of degrading microorganisms. Benzo[a]pyrene stood apart since it was partly degraded in acidic soils, probably because of a catabolic cooperation between bacteria and fungi.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the “Région Haute Normandie” for financial support through Normandy SCALE research network (RESSOLV program).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. COBRA UMR CNRS 6014, Université de Rouen, 55 rue saint Germain, 27000, Evreux, France

    M. Crampon, N. Machour, F. Le Derf & F. Portet-Koltalo

  2. ECODIV-EA 1293, Fédération de Recherche SCALE-FED 4116, Université de Rouen, F-76821, Mont Saint Aignan Cedex, France

    F. Bureau & M. Akpa-Vinceslas

  3. Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, Université de Rouen, EA 4312, 76821, Mont Saint Aignan, France

    M. Crampon & J. Bodilis

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  1. M. Crampon
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  2. F. Bureau
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  5. N. Machour
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  7. F. Portet-Koltalo
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Correspondence to F. Portet-Koltalo.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Crampon, M., Bureau, F., Akpa-Vinceslas, M. et al. Correlations between PAH bioavailability, degrading bacteria, and soil characteristics during PAH biodegradation in five diffusely contaminated dissimilar soils. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 8133–8145 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-2799-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-2799-6

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