Response of autochthonous microbiota of diesel polluted soils to land-farming treatments

This study investigated the response of autochthonous microorganisms of diesel polluted soils to land-farming treatments. Inorganic NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium) fertilizer and Ivey surfactant were applied alone or in combination as biostimulating agents. The study was carried out in experimental separated land-farming plots performed with two soils: a sandy clay soil with low biological activity and a sandy clay soil with higher biological activity, contaminated with two concentrations of diesel: 10,000 and 20,000mgkg−1. Bacterial growth, dehydrogenase activity and CO2 production were the biological parameters evaluated. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis proved that moisture content showed a tendency related to microbial growth and that heterotrophic and degrading microorganisms had the best relationship. Initial biological activity of soil influenced the response with 11.1% of variability attributed to this parameter. Soils with low activity had higher degree of response to nutrient addition. •Land-farming produced stimulation and adaptation of microbiota to polluted soils.•Initial biological activities explain 57% bioremediation capacity of polluted soil.•Hydrocarbon concentration and initial soil condition explain 11% landfarming efficacy.