Subsurface high voltage electric cables are commonly insulated using dodecy
lbenzene in combination with mineral oil. This work assessed the impact of
increasing concentrations of cable insulating oil (0-10% dry weight) on soi
l microbial respiration as determined by mineralisation of [1-C-14]glucose
(11 mu g C g(-1) soil). Acute impact was assessed from 0 days to 21 days, a
nd chronic impact was assessed after 300 days. This study found that cable
insulating oil increased respiratory activity of soil microflora. The exten
t of impact was found to depend on both oil concentration and the length of
oil-soil contact time. Following acute exposure (21-days oil-soil contact
time), it was found that oil concentrations up to 1% promoted a significant
(P < 0.05) increase in the extent of [1-C-14]glucose mineralisation to (CO
2)-C-14 relative to the control. In contrast, higher concentrations of cabl
e insulating oil (5% and 10%) promoted no significant (P > 0.05) increase i
n the extent of [1-C-14]glucose mineralisation to (CO2)-C-14 relative to th
e control. Following chronic exposure (300-days oil-soil contact time), the
extent of mineralisation was greater at all oil concentrations applied rel
ative to the control. For oil concentrations up to and including 1%, there
was a decrease in the extent of elevation in mineralisation relative to the
values after 21-days exposure. At higher oil concentrations, namely 5% and
10%, the extent of elevation in mineralisation was comparable with that af
ter 21-days oil-soil contact time. We suggest that the increase in minerali
sation of glucose indicates that cable insulating oil is a readily availabl
e carbon source to the carbon-limited soil microflora. (C) 2000 Federation
of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. A
ll rights reserved.