title: Pyrene degradation in the rhizosphere of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.).
abstract: A growth chamber study was conducted to investigate the fate of pyrene in the rhizosphere of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). For this study, 14C-labeled pyrene was used, and distribution of 14C activity was assessed after plant establishment. After 190 days of incubation, 37.7 and 30.4% of 14C-pyrene was mineralized in the soil planted with tall fescue and switchgrass, respectively, while 4.3% mineralization was observed for the unplanted control. Only 7.6 and 8.7% of pyrene was recovered from the soil in the two planted treatments, while 31.5% of pyrene remained in the unplanted control. Significant amounts of 14C were observed for all treatments and controls in the humic/fulvic fraction of soil at the end of the experiment. This research indicates the potential for pyrene mineralization in planted systems, although the ultimate fate of degradation byproducts is uncertain.
authors.affiliation: School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Yen-Chih
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M Katherine
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Banks
authors.forename: A Paul
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Schwab
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D031751:Festuca / Q000382:microbiology*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008897:Panicum / Q000382:microbiology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011721:Pyrenes; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C030984:pyrene