SURVIVAL AND TRANSPORT OF LAC-LUX MARKED PSEUDOMONAS-FLUORESCENS STRAIN IN UNCONTAMINATED AND CHEMICALLY CONTAMINATED SOILS

Survival of a lac ZY-lux AB strain and rifampicin, ampicillin resistan t strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens UG16 in uncontaminated soil and so ils containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and chlorinated phenols was conducted over 7 weeks at 10 and 22 degrees C. Survival o f cells containing lac ZY-lux AB reporter gene system determined by vi able plating and detection with a charge coupled camera was generally better or similar to the rifampicin, ampicillin resistant strain. Micr ocosms containing remediated soil with decreased levels of PAHs and ch lorinated phenols incubated at 10 degrees C allowed better survival of introduced cells than soil incubated at 22 degrees C, containing high er concentrations of PAHs and chlorinated phenols. Bacterial transport in soil columns of contaminated, bioremediated and uncontaminated con trol soils was carried out using the lac ZY-lux AB strain of P. fluore scens UG16. Soil columns were flushed with non-sterile rainwater and m icroorganisms enumerated in the soil profile and leachate. Non-remedia ted soil containing chemical contaminants displayed lower transport of the inoculated strain. Remediated and uncontaminated soils allowed tr ansport of the introduced bacterial cells through the soil column in i nto leachate samples.