PCB decomposition promoted by sugarcane bagasse organic waste

Abstract

This work aimed to explore the changes in the bacterial community composition of soil contaminated with high concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) treated by biostimulation with sugarcane bagasse. Non-sterilized soil samples were spiked with transformer oil contaminated with PCB 18, 52, 66, 87,101, 110, 153, 180, and 187. The biostimulation experiment was performed by mixing non-sterilized PCB-contaminated soil with sterilized sugarcane bagasse and incubating the mixture 90 d in darkness at 25 ± 1 °C. The results showed that percentage removal of 88 % was similar for all PCB congeners in biostimulated soil, independently of their degree of chlorination, and it was accompanied by a significant change in bacterial community composition. Relative abundance of the bacterial communities at the phylum level in biostimulation treatment showed they were conquered by Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, followed by Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria.Bacteriall diversity increased in the biostimulation system due to the enrichment in genera possessing PCB remediation capacity which demonstrated the boosting potential of sugarcane bagasse in soil with high concentration of PCBs.