Effects of different carbon substrates on PAHs fractions and microbial community changes in PAHs-contaminated soils

Different types of carbon substrates were widely used in soil remediation. However, differences of their impacts and related mechanisms on degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and microbial community structures in contaminated soil still remain unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of corn straw (S), glucose (G), straw combined with glucose (SG), and sodium azide (N, as an abiotic control) on PAHs fractions and bacterial communities in soil. After 70 days' microcosm experiments, total PAHs concentrations were signifi-cantly reduced by 30.9%, 19.5% and 44.6% under S, G and SG treatments. Water soluble, acid soluble and residual PAHs under all treatments were significantly decreased after 70 days of incubation, while organically bound PAHs were increased by 11.4%, 22.7% and 36.1% under G, S and SG treatments. Additionally, straw and glucose application increased relative abundance related PAHs-degrading bacteria and the copy numbers of gram-negative (PAHs-RHD alpha GN) and gram-positive genes (PAHs-RHD alpha GP) in the contaminated soil. Redun-dancy analysis (RDA) and Random Forest (RF) indicated that PAHs fractions are crucial factors for biodegra-dation of PAHs in PAHs-contaminated soils amended with carbon substrates. These suggested that carbon substrates contributed to PAHs conversion from residual PAHs (nonlabile fractions) to organically bound PAHs and thus increased the potential for PAHs conversion to water-soluble and organic acid-soluble PAHs, which were more easy to be utilized by soil microorganisms. This study revealed the new insights of different carbon substrates on degradation and dynamic changes of PAHs fractions and the better potential of combined appli-cation of straw and glucose in enhancing degradation of PAHs in PAHs-contaminated soils.

Automated summary

Different carbon substrates have different effects on the degradation of PAHs and microbial community structures in contaminated soil. Corn straw and glucose application can enhance the degradation of PAHs and change the fractions of PAHs in contaminated soil. The conversion of PAHs to more easily utilisable forms by microorganisms is facilitated by the carbon substrates.