MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF THE BIOLOGICAL DECONTAMINATION OF SOILS

Five agricultural soils which were contaminated with n-tetradecane, 5-methyl-3-heptanone and naphthalene were used to follow the biological clean-up process of these soils. The hydrocarbon content, the microbial biomass (substrate-induced respiration), dehydrogenase activity and N-mineralisation were monitored for 20 weeks in the contaminated and control soils. Dehydrogenase activity followed similar patterns within various soils, the values being lowest at the beginning of the experiment and highest during the following weeks. N-mineralisation of four contaminated soils was reduced at the start of the experiment, but was increased afterwards. The influence of contamination on microbial activities was detected even after elimination of the hydrocarbons. The addition of compost of bark and pieces of bark increased the biological clean-up process of the Calcic Chernozem contaminated with 3,8% (w/w) fuel oil. The addition of both organic materials reduced the decontamination rate of the Haplic Chernozem. The ratio of N-mineralisation to microbial biomass of the Calcic Chernozem increased with the addition of compost of bark and pieces of bark, but decreased with the same treatment of the Haplic Chernozem. The results of this study suggest that microorganisms immobilize nitrogen in the Haplic Chernozem ammended with pieces of bark to a great extent during the whole experiment. The high N-immobilization and the adsorption of hydrocarbons to the added organic material may be the main cause of the slow decontamination of the Haplic Chernozem.