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. 2021 May 1;26(9):2664.
doi: 10.3390/molecules26092664.

Microbiological Study in Petrol-Spiked Soil

Agata Borowik  1 , Jadwiga Wyszkowska  1 , Jan Kucharski  1
Affiliations

Microbiological Study in Petrol-Spiked Soil

Agata Borowik et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

The pollution of arable lands and water with petroleum-derived products is still a valid problem, mainly due the extensive works aimed to improve their production technology to reduce fuel consumption and protect engines. An example of the upgraded fuels is the BP 98 unleaded petrol with Active technology. A pot experiment was carried out in which Eutric Cambisol soil was polluted with petrol to determine its effect on the microbiological and biochemical properties of this soil. Analyses were carried out to determine soil microbiome composition-with the incubation and metagenomic methods, the activity of seven enzymes, and cocksfoot effect on hydrocarbon degradation. The following indices were determined: colony development index (CD); ecophysiological diversity index (EP); index of cocksfoot effect on soil microorganisms and enzymes (IFG); index of petrol effect on soil microorganisms and enzymes (IFP); index of the resistance of microorganisms, enzymes, and cocksfoot to soil pollution with petrol (RS); Shannon-Weaver's index of bacterial taxa diversity (H); and Shannon-Weaver's index of hydrocarbon degradation (IDH). The soil pollution with petrol was found to increase population numbers of bacteria and fungi, and Protebacteria phylum abundance as well as to decrease the abundance of Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria phyla. The cultivation of cocksfoot on the petrol-polluted soil had an especially beneficial effect mainly on the bacteria belonging to the Ramlibacter, Pseudoxanthomonas, Mycoplana, and Sphingobium genera. The least susceptible to the soil pollution with petrol and cocksfoot cultivation were the bacteria of the following genera: Kaistobacter, Rhodoplanes, Bacillus, Streptomyces, Paenibacillus, Phenylobacterium, and Terracoccus. Cocksfoot proved effective in the phytoremediation of petrol-polluted soil, as it accelerated hydrocarbon degradation and increased the genetic diversity of bacteria. It additionally enhanced the activities of soil enzymes.

Keywords: degradation hydrocarbons; microbial diversity; petrol; phytoremediation; soil; soil enzymes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Indices effect: (a) of cocksfoot on soil microorganisms (IFG), (b) of petrol on soil microorganisms (IFP), and (c) of resistance (RS) of soil microorganisms to the effects of petrol (P). Homogeneous groups denoted with letters (a,b) were calculated separately for each of the microorganisms.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of petrol (P) and cocksfoot (G) on changes in (a) the colony development (CD) index, and (b) soil microorganisms and the value of their ecophysiological diversity (EP) index. Homogeneous groups denoted with letters (a,b) were calculated separately for each of the microorganisms.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparison of the relative abundance of bacterial phyla in the soil between particular pots, with difference between the proportions at ≥1%. C—non-polluted and non-sown soil, G—non-polluted soil sown with cocksfoot, P—non-sown soil polluted with petrol, and GP—soil polluted with petrol and sown with cocksfoot.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparison of the relative abundance of bacterial phyla in the soil between particular pots, with difference between the proportions at ≥1%. C—non-polluted and non-sown soil, G—non-polluted soil sown with cocksfoot, P—non-sown soil polluted with petrol, and GP—soil polluted with petrol and sown with cocksfoot.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Number of OTU ≥ 1% of 42 bacterial genera in the soil presented using the heat map with classification to the phylum. C—non-polluted and non-sown soil, G—non-polluted soil sown with cocksfoot, P—non-sown soil polluted with petrol, and GP—soil polluted with petrol and sown with cocksfoot.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Effect of petrol (P) and cocksfoot (G) on (a) the number of unique and common bacterial genera, (b) unique and common genera of bacteria colonizing particular pots presented using the Veen diagram. C—non-polluted and non-sown soil, G—non-polluted soil sown with cocksfoot, P—non-sown soil polluted with petrol, and GP—soil polluted with petrol and sown with cocksfoot.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Phylogenetic tree of unique and common bacterial species. C—non-polluted and non-sown soil, G—non-polluted soil sown with cocksfoot, P—non-sown soil polluted with petrol, and GP—soil polluted with petrol and sown with cocksfoot.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Effect of petrol (P) and cocksfoot (G) on the bacteria diversity, at particular taxonomic levels, estimated using the Shannon–Wiener index. C—non-polluted and non-sown soil, G—non-polluted soil sown with cocksfoot, P—non-sown soil polluted with petrol, and GP—soil polluted with petrol and sown with cocksfoot. Homogeneous groups denoted with letters (a–d) were calculated separately for each taxon.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Indices of: (a) cocksfoot effect (IFG) on the activity of soil enzymes, (b) petrol effect (IFP) on the activity of soil enzymes, and (c) resistance (RS) of soil enzymes to the effects of petrol (P). Homogeneous groups denoted with letters (a,b) were calculated separately for each enzyme.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Index of resistance (RS) of cocksfoot to the effects of petrol. Homogeneous groups denoted with letters (a,b,c) were calculated separately for each of hydrocarbons.
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