Effects of Biostimulation on Growth of Indigenous Bacteria in Sub-Antarctic Soil Contamined with Oil Hydrocarbons

• Main Authors: Coulon, F., Delille, D.
• Other Authors: Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne (LOMIC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire océanologique de Banyuls (OOB), Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2003
• Subjects: [PHYS]Physics [physics]; Antarc*; Antarctic
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-02043879; https://hal.science/hal-02043879/document; https://hal.science/hal-02043879/file/coulon_v58n4.pdf; https://doi.org/10.2516/ogst:2003030

International audience In order to evaluate the efficiency of biostimulation of soil contaminated with oil hydrocarbons under sub-Antarctic conditions, a mesocosm study was initiated in May 2001 in the Kerguelen Archipelago (49°21¡¦S, 70°13¡¦E). The effects of temperature and fertilizer addition (Inipol EAP-22, Elf Atochem) on soil bacterial assemblages contaminated with hydrocarbons were studied in 6-l batches of subantarctic soil incubated in the dark. Six different conditions were used at three temperatures (4, 10 and 20°C): control, fertilizer (50 ml), diesel oil (100 ml), diesel oil (100 ml) + fertilizer (50 ml), ¡§Arabian light¡¨ crude oil (100 ml) and crude oil (100 ml) + fertilizer (50 ml). Mesocosms were sampled on a regular basis over a seven-month period. All samples were analyzed for total bacteria, viable heterotrophic assemblages and hydrocarbon-utilising microflora. The results clearly showed a significant response of sub-Antarctic microbial soil communities to hydrocarbon contamination. Large increases in total, heterotrophic and hydrocarbon-utilising bacteria were observed (from less than 5 × 105 MPN g-1 to more than 108 MPN g-1 for hydrocarbon degrading bacteria). Temperature elevation had no significant impact on the total or heterotrophic assemblages but induced a one order of magnitude increase in hydrocarbon-utilising bacteria in contaminated mesocosms. In contrast, fertilizer addition had no clear effect on hydrocarbon-degrading specific bacteria but stimulated heterotrophic growth in diesel oil-contaminated soils.