Quantification of Toluene Phytoextraction Rates and Microbial Biodegradation Functional Profiles at a Fractured Bedrock Phytoremediation Site
Abstract
This field study evaluated the efficacy of a mature hybrid poplar phytoremediation system for the remediation of toluene in a fractured bedrock aquifer site. Phytoextraction activity of the trees and the ecology and biodegradation potential of root-colonizing bacteria that ultimately influence how much toluene is transported from the roots and phytoextracted to the aboveground point of measurement were explored. Peak-season toluene mass removal rates ranging from 313 to 743 µg/day were quantified using passive in planta contaminant sampling techniques and continuous heat dissipation transpiration measurements in tree stems. Root bacterial microbiome structure and biodegradation potential were evaluated via high-throughput sequencing and predictive metagenomic functional modelling of bacterial 16S rRNA genes in roots. Poplar roots were colonized mostly by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Distinct, more uniform communities were observed in roots associated with trees planted in the toluene source area compared to other areas, with differences apparent at lower taxonomic levels. Significant enrichment of Streptomyces in roots was observed in the source area, implicating that genus as a potentially important poplar endophyte at toluene-impacted sites. Moreover, significantly greater aerobic toluene biodegradation capacity was predicted in these roots compared to other areas using taxonomic functional modelling. Together with passive sampling, the molecular results provided supporting evidence of biodegradation activity in the source area and contextualized the detected phytoextraction patterns. These results support the application of phytoremediation systems for aromatic hydrocarbons in environments with complex geology and demonstrate field-validated monitoring techniques to assess phytoextraction and biodegradation in these systems.
Recommended Citation
M. BenIsrael et al., "Quantification of Toluene Phytoextraction Rates and Microbial Biodegradation Functional Profiles at a Fractured Bedrock Phytoremediation Site," Science of the Total Environment, vol. 707, Elsevier B.V., Mar 2020.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135890
Department(s)
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Research Center/Lab(s)
Center for Research in Energy and Environment (CREE)
Keywords and Phrases
BTEX hydrocarbons; Endophyte; Molecular biological tools; Root microbiome; Site monitoring; Site remediation
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
0048-9697; 1879-1026
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Mar 2020
Comments
This work was supported by BP , the University Consortium for Field-Focused Groundwater Contamination Research , and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).