title: Influence of bioaugmentation on biodegradation of phenanthrene-contaminated soil by earthworm in lab scale.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Use of earthworm to eliminate the phenanthrene from the soil (bioaccumulation) is developed as an economical method. Bioaugmentation of microorganism was used for promotion of bioaccumulation by earthworm. The aim of this study was to determine the bioaccumulation or biodegradation of phenanthrene by Eisenia fetida and bacterial consortium in polluted soil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The amount of 0.4 kg of the polluted soil in the ratio of 10 and 30 mg phenanthrene per kg of dry soil was transferred into each pot. Afterwards, bacteria and earthworms were added to each pot in separate and combination. The samples were kept under field conditions, and the retention concentrations of phenanthrene were analyzed after 8 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that the Eisenia fetida was able to significantly remove phenanthrene from the polluted soil samples. Bioaccumulation and bioaugmentation alone have the removal efficiency of 60.24% and 50.3%, respectively. In the combined mode, phenanthrene removal efficiency was 63.81%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study indicated that the use of earthworms, could improve both phenanthrene bioavailability and microbial activity, which led to enhancing removal of carbon-based pollutants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hosseinali
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asgharnia
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jonidi Jafari
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Roshanak
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rezaei Kalantary
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Center for Water Quality Research, Institute of Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Simin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nasseri
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Center for Water Quality Research, Institute of Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amirhossein
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahvi
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Center for Water Quality Research, Institute of Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Kamyar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yaghmaeian
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esrafili
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dadban Shahamat
keywords: Bioaugmentation; Biodegradation; Earthworm and bacteria; Phenanthrene