title: Degradation of benzo[a]pyrene in soil with arbuscular mycorrhizal alfalfa.
abstract: Mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal alfalfa (Medicago sativa) was grown in pots containing soil artificially contaminated with various levels of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) (0, 1, 10 and 100 mg kg(-1)). Soil and plants were sampled after 30, 40, 50, 60 and 90 days and compared with unlanted pots. The percentage of mycorrhizal root length colonized by Glomus caledoniun was not significantly affected by the addition of B[a]P up to 10 mg kg(-1) but was significantly lower at 100 mg kg(-1)B[a]P compared with low concentrations (p < 0.05). There was no difference in soil polyphenol oxidase and dehydrogenase activity among the controls and applications of 1 and 10 mg kg(-1) of B[a]P. However, enzyme activities were significantly higher at 100 mg kg(-1) B[a]P compared with the other three treatments, and there was no mycorrhizal effect. Over a period of 90 days the concentration of B[a]P in soil in which alfalfa was grown was significantly lower than in unplanted soil (p < 0.05). Degradation rates of B[a]P added at 1, 10 and 100 mg kg(-1) without G. caledonium were 76, 78 and 53%, and with mycorrhizal inoculation were 86, 87 and 57%. The degradation rate in unplanted soil was significantly lower than in planted soil, and was significantly higher in medium- and low-B[a]P treatments than in the high B[a]P concentration tested. There is a possibility of enhancement phytoremediation of PAHs in rhizosphere soil with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.
authors.affiliation: Soil and Environment Bioremediation Research Centre, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: K Q
authors.initials: KQ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christie
mesh_terms: D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D000455:Medicago sativa / Q000382:microbiology; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000502:physiology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene