Decontamination of aged creosote polluted soil: the influence of temperature, white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus, and pre-treatment

This study investigated the effect of inoculation of white rot fungus, Pleurotus ostreatus, temperature and two pre-treatment methods on PAH degradation in aged creosote contaminated soil. It is shown that Pleurotus ostreatus has an overall positive effect on PAH degradation, and that temperature and soil pre-treatment affect this degradation. In general, adding bark and incubating at 22°C before inoculation with white rot fungi has a better effect on PAH degradation than no pre-treatment, or pre-treatment with fertilizer. At low temperature (8°C) fungal inoculation had best effect when fertilizer was not added, and significant effect on degradation on different groups of PAH compounds, except for the more easily degradable compounds, 3-ring PAHs and heterocyclic compounds was obtained. Pre-treatment with fertilizer stimulated microbial activity at low temperature and enhanced PAH degradation even without addition of fungi.