Persistence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon components of creosote under anaerobic enrichment conditions

Anaerobic biodegradation of an artificial mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which simulates the PAH component of creosote, was examined under methanogenic, sulfidogenic, and nitrate-reducing conditions using creosote-contaminated sediment as the source of inoculum. PAH degradation, CH4 formation and ion reduction were monitored for up to one year. Despite demonstrating active methanogenic and nitrate-reducing anaerobic bacterial communities, only limited degradation of a few PAHs was observed. Under methanogenic conditions limited degradation of all bicyclic (naphthalene, 1-and 2-methylnaphthalene, biphenyl, and 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene) and one tricyclic PAH, anthraquinone, was detected. 2-Methylanthracene was apparently degraded under nitrate-reducing conditions. Anthraquinone declined in sulfate enrichments, but this decline was not dependent upon sulfate reduction. None of the 4- or 5-ring PAHs were degraded under any of the enrichment conditions. These data indicate that under the anaerobic conditions tested there is only a limited potential to degrade PAHs which must be considered when proposing bioremediation technologies for PAH-contaminated sites, especially if high-molecular-weight PAHs are present.