Biodegradation of diesel fuel in soil at low temperature by Rhodococcus erythropolis

摘要

Diesel fuel degradation by a psychrotrophic Rhodococcus erythropolis in liquid minimal medium and in sandy soil at 12℃ was tested. In liquid culture, 80% of diesel fuel was eliminated in 10 days. In soil, the degradation was monitored by a respirometric system and it was found that degradation yield depended on the inoculum size. The optimal dose for inoculation to ensure predominance of the desired bacterial population and high degradation yields was about 1011 cells kg~(-1) soil dw. The soil used was an uncontaminated sandy soil. Our results showed that the degradation yield depended on biostimulation with N and P sources. Rhodococcus erythropolis appears to have significant potential - 85 mg.kg~(-1) soil dw.d~(-1) -to degrade diesel fuel at 12℃ in sandy soil and it is a promising strain for large-scale bioremediation processes.