Phosphorus application enhances alkane hydroxylase gene abundance in the rhizosphere of wild plants grown in petroleum-hydrocarbon-contaminated soil.

Son A Hoang, Dane Lamb, Binoy Sarkar, Balaji Seshadri, Richard Man Kit Yu, Thi Kim Anh Tran, James O'Connor, Jörg Rinklebe, M B Kirkham, Huy Thanh Vo, Nanthi S Bolan

Journal: Environmental research 2022;204(Pt A):111924

PMID: 34487695

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Abstract

This study assessed the ability of phosphorus (P) fertilizer to remediate the rhizosphere of three wild plant species (Banksia seminuda, a tree; Chloris truncata, a grass; and Hakea prostrata, a shrub) growing in a soil contaminated with total (aliphatic) petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH). Plant growth, photosynthesis (via chlorophyll fluorescence), soil microbial activity, alkane hydroxylase AlkB (aliphatic hydrocarbon-degrading) gene abundance, and TPH removal were evaluated 120 days after planting. Overall, although TPH served as an additional carbon source for soil microorganisms, the presence of TPH in soil resulted in decreased plant growth and photosynthesis. However, growth, photosynthesis, microbial activities, and AlkB gene abundance were enhanced by the application of P fertilizer, thereby increasing TPH removal rates, although the extent and optimum P dosage varied among the plant species. The highest TPH removal (64.66%) was observed in soil planted with the Poaceae species, C. truncata, and amended with 100 mg P kg soil, while H. prostrata showed higher TPH removal compared to the plant belonging to the same Proteaceae family, B. seminuda. The presence of plants resulted in higher AlkB gene abundance and TPH removal relative to the unplanted control. The removal of TPH was associated directly with AlkB gene abundance (R > 0.9, p < 0.001), which was affected by plant identity and P levels. The results indicated that an integrated approach involving wild plant species and optimum P amendment, which was determined through experimentation using different plant species, was an efficient way to remediate soil contaminated with TPH.

Address: Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Global Innovative Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Division of Urban Infrastructural Engineering, Mientrung University of Civil Engineering, Phu Yen, 56000, Viet Nam.; Chemical and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia.; Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom.; Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.; School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.; Global Innovative Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.; University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste Management, Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285, Wuppertal, Germany; Department of Environment, Energy and Geoinformatics, Sejong University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.; Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States.; Division of Urban Infrastructural Engineering, Mientrung University of Civil Engineering, Phu Yen, 56000, Viet Nam.; Global Innovative Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6001, Australia; The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6001, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111924

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MeSH Terms: Biodegradation, Environmental, Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A, Hydrocarbons, Petroleum, Phosphorus, Rhizosphere, Soil, Soil Microbiology, Soil Pollutants