IN-SITU BIOREMEDIATION OF PAH CONTAMINATED SOIL USING MYCOBACTERIUM SP

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) include a group of organic pri ority pollutants of critical environmental and public health concern. The primary sources of PAH contamination in soil are leaking undergrou nd storage tanks and old manufactured gas plant sites. Since these con taminated sites cover large areas, the development of in-situ treatmen ts is strongly emphasized. The most cost effective in-situ treatment f or contaminated soil is that of bioremediation. Experiments were condu cted to determine the efficiency of Mycobacterium sp. for PAH remediat ion of an industrially contaminated soil sample. Specifically, the use of three supplementary nutrient solutions in conjunction with the Myc obacterium sp. was investigated. The molecular identification of the P AHs were conducted using an HPLC. In addition, the potential metabolic pathways of the contaminats will be presented.