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Study on the efficiency of phytoremediation of soils heavily polluted with PAHs in petroleum-contaminated sites by microorganism

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Abstract

The effects of Fire Phoenix (a mixture of Festuca L.) and Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench) on the remediation of two different high concentrations of PAH-contaminated soils were studied under the effect of strain N12 (Mycobacterium sp.), and the changes in rhizosphere enzymatic activity were preliminarily studied. The results of three culture stages (60 d, 120 d, and 150 d) showed that N12 has a promotional effect on the biomass of Fire Phoenix and E. purpurea, and the effect of N12 on the biomass of Fire Phoenix is better. Under the strengthening of N12, the maximum removal rates of Fire Phoenix reached 86.77% and 67.82% at two high PAH concentrations (A and B, respectively). The activity of dehydrogenase (DHO) is positively correlated with the degradation rate of PAHs at the A concentration (P < 0.05). The activity of DHO in soil will continue to increase at a higher level of the B concentration, but the positive correlation between the activity of DHO and the degradation rate of PAH is weakened. In the rhizosphere soil of the two plants, the change in polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity with time has a significant negative correlation with the degradation rate of PAHs (P < 0.05). The experiment proved that Fire Phoenix is more suitable for the remediation of heavy PAH-contaminated soil under the condition of microorganism-strengthening, and it can achieve a better degradation effect when the concentrations of PAHs are < 150 mg·kg−1. Results provide a further scientific basis for the remediation of contaminated sites.

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Funding

This work was financially supported by two general projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 31470547, 31770545).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China

    Liqun Hou, Rui Liu, Na Li, Yuanyuan Dai & Jun Yan

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Liqun Hou, Na Li & Yuanyuan Dai

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  1. Liqun Hou
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  2. Rui Liu
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  3. Na Li
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  4. Yuanyuan Dai
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  5. Jun Yan
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Correspondence to Rui Liu.

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Hou, L., Liu, R., Li, N. et al. Study on the efficiency of phytoremediation of soils heavily polluted with PAHs in petroleum-contaminated sites by microorganism. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 31401–31413 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05828-1

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