title: Monitoring of bioremediation by soil biological activities.
abstract: An evaluation of soil biological activities as a monitoring instrument for the decontamination process of a mineral-oil-contaminated soil was made using measurements of microbial counts, soil respiration, soil biomass and several enzyme activities. The correlations between these parameters and with the levels of hydrocarbon residues were investigated; the effects of different N- and P-sources on hydrocarbon decontamination and soil biological activities were determined. Inorganic nutrients stimulated hydrocarbon biodegradation but not all biological activities to a significant extent. Biodegradation could be monitored well by soil biological parameters: the residual hydrocarbon content correlated positively with soil respiration, biomass-C (substrate-induced respiration), and with activities of soil dehydrogenase, urease and catalase. Soil lipase activity and the number of hydrocarbon utilizers correlated negatively (P < 0.0001) with the remaining hydrocarbon content.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology (N.F.), University of Innsbruck, Austria. rosa.margesin@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Margesin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zimmerbauer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schinner
mesh_terms: D001317:Austria; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002245:Carbon Dioxide