Abstract
Rhizoremediation is a complex type of green
clean-up technology that involves both plants and the
rhizosphere-associated microorganisms to decompose
hazardous compounds. The success of the strategy
strongly depends on plant tolerance towards the pollutant,
as well as plant's interactions with the rhizospheric
microbes. The microorganisms may be stimulated by the
secreted root exudates, which results in an increased
breakdown of contaminants in the rhizosphere. The main
goal of this study was to establish a potential
rhizoremediation combination for a diesel-polluted site.
Inoculation of plant roots or seeds with indigenous
rhizospheric populations is a common approach in the
rhizoremediation. However, we introduced hydrocarbondegrading
consortia (M10, R3, and K52) that were previously
isolated from crude oil-contaminated soil instead
of indigenous microbes. Bioaugmentation with these
petroleum degraders was applied to screen four high
biomass crop species (Indian mustard, alfalfa, high erucic
acid rapeseed, HEAR, and low erucic acid rapeseed,
LEAR) for their tolerance towards diesel oil. At no
pollution, a promoting effect of M10 bacteria could be
observed on germination and root elongation of all plant
species. Moreover, M10 consortiums increased the germination
index at 6,000 mg diesel oil per kilogram dry
soil in the case of Indian mustard, alfalfa, and HEAR.
The latter species was found to increment its dry weight
upon bioaugmentation with M10 bacteria and all diesel
oil treatments (6,000 and 24,000 mg diesel oil per kilogram
dry soil). The initial results indicate HEAR and the
M10 bacterial consortium as a promising plant–microbe
tandem for a long-term rhizoremediation process.
clean-up technology that involves both plants and the
rhizosphere-associated microorganisms to decompose
hazardous compounds. The success of the strategy
strongly depends on plant tolerance towards the pollutant,
as well as plant's interactions with the rhizospheric
microbes. The microorganisms may be stimulated by the
secreted root exudates, which results in an increased
breakdown of contaminants in the rhizosphere. The main
goal of this study was to establish a potential
rhizoremediation combination for a diesel-polluted site.
Inoculation of plant roots or seeds with indigenous
rhizospheric populations is a common approach in the
rhizoremediation. However, we introduced hydrocarbondegrading
consortia (M10, R3, and K52) that were previously
isolated from crude oil-contaminated soil instead
of indigenous microbes. Bioaugmentation with these
petroleum degraders was applied to screen four high
biomass crop species (Indian mustard, alfalfa, high erucic
acid rapeseed, HEAR, and low erucic acid rapeseed,
LEAR) for their tolerance towards diesel oil. At no
pollution, a promoting effect of M10 bacteria could be
observed on germination and root elongation of all plant
species. Moreover, M10 consortiums increased the germination
index at 6,000 mg diesel oil per kilogram dry
soil in the case of Indian mustard, alfalfa, and HEAR.
The latter species was found to increment its dry weight
upon bioaugmentation with M10 bacteria and all diesel
oil treatments (6,000 and 24,000 mg diesel oil per kilogram
dry soil). The initial results indicate HEAR and the
M10 bacterial consortium as a promising plant–microbe
tandem for a long-term rhizoremediation process.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Water, Air, & Soil Polution |
| Volume | 224 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2013 |
| Externally published | Yes |