The influence of soil composition on bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soils

As a result of former industrial activities, many properties across the United States contain various chemicals in their soils at concentrations above background levels. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are often encountered at sites of gas manufacture, wood treating, tar refining, coke making, and petroleum reflning. When the presence of PAHs in site soil is deemed to create a situation of unacceptable risk to public health or the environment, treatment or disposal is required to reduce concentrations to acceptable levels. The ideal remedial process for PAHs in soils would destroy them to an environmentally sound level at relatively low cost without producing adverse by‐products. In many cases bioremediation can accomplish these goals. The degree to which bioremediation can destroy PAHs in a particular soil, however, is highly dependent on the characteristics of that soil, including the nature of the hydrocarbon that is the source of the PAHs. It is the objective of this article to describe efforts leading to this conclusion and to summarize how soil characteristics influence bioremediation of PAHs.