黑麦草根系分泌物剂量对污染土壤芘降解和土壤微生物的影响

模拟根际根系分泌物梯度递减效应,研究了黑麦草根系分泌物剂量对污染土壤中芘降解特征和土壤微生物生态特征的影响.结果表明:污染土壤中芘残留量随根系分泌物添加剂量的增加呈现先下降后上升的非线性变化,达到最低芘残留量的添加剂量是总有机碳(TOC) 32.75 mg·kg-1,说明此浓度下根系分泌物显著促进了芘的降解;土壤微生物生物量碳和微生物熵的变化趋势与污染土壤中芘残留量变化趋势相反,表明土壤微生物与污染土壤 中芘残留量存在密切关系.芘污染土壤中微生物群落以细菌占主导地位,且细菌变化趋势与芘降解变化一致,表明芘以细菌降解为主,根系分泌物主要通过影响细菌数量,进而影响芘的降解.能催化有机物质脱氢反应的土壤微生物胞内酶——脱氢酶活性的变化与土壤微生物变化趋势一致,进一步证明微生物及其生物化学特性变化是污染土壤中芘残留量随根系分泌物添加剂量变化的生态机制.     

睾丸酮丛毛单胞菌对羊草根际土壤PAHs降解及细菌群落结构的影响

探究睾丸酮丛毛单胞菌 (Comamonas testosteroni,C.t) 联合羊草修复多环芳烃 (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,PAHs) 污染土壤过程中,羊草根际土PAHs降解及根际微生物的变化。用气相色谱-质谱法 (GC-MS)检测C.t联合羊草时根际PAHs的降解,通过高通量测序技术测定羊草根际土壤细菌群落及多样性,采用冗余分析及网络分析评价PAHs降解与细菌群落组分之间的相关性,用PICRUSt软件预测PAHs降解潜力。结果表明,C.t的接入在修复后期 (60–120 d) 促进PAHs降解,使羊草根际细菌丰富度、多样性以及细菌与PAHs的相关性发生改变,并且提高了羊草根际PAHs的降解潜力。C.t主要通过影响变形菌门属水平中鞘氨醇单胞菌(Sphingomonas)、MND1和Nordella,放线菌门属水平上红色杆菌 (Rubrobacter) 和Gaiella,酸杆菌门属水平中RB41以及拟杆菌门中黄杆菌 (Flavobacterium),从而加快羊草根际土中萘 (Nap)、菲 (Phe)、苯并芘 (BaP) 3种PAHs的降解。研究以期为C.t联合植物降解土壤PAHs污染提供理论依据,为微生物联合植物修复土壤PAHs提供新的微生物选择。     

土壤中高环多环芳烃微生物降解的研究进展

微生物修复是去除土壤中多环芳烃(PAHs)的主要措施。本文以微生物修复PAHs污染土壤的理论基础及其难点为主线,全面综述了土壤中高环PAHs的微生物降解机理。近年来,富集分离得到的以高环PAHs为唯一碳源和能源的优势降解菌逐渐增多,其中,主要是代谢降解四环PAHs的单株降解菌,一些降解菌还能以共代谢方式利用五环PAHs。高环PAHs污染土壤修复的一个难点是其低生物可利用性,微生物通过释放生物表面活性剂、形成生物膜以及分泌胞外多糖提高高环PAHs的生物可利用性,从而加速其降解。真菌和细菌联合作用能增强污染土壤实地修复的效果。因此,通过微生物修复技术来去除土壤中PAHs具有环境友好性、经济适用性以及可持续应用性。     

固定化引进菌降解土壤中芘和苯并(a)芘的效果比较

将引进菌用于有机污染土壤中芘和苯并(a)芘的生物修复,目的是使引进菌在环境工程中的利用成为可能.通过对引进的3株细菌进行固定化包埋,研究了它们对土壤中芘和苯并(a)芘的降解效果.结果表明,引进菌驯化固定后,无论是单株菌还是混合菌对污染物的降解都明显高于游离菌,与土著固定菌相比,部分引进菌具有一定的优势.通过不同时间采样点的对比分析可以看出,引进菌混合固定后对污染物的降解效果相对较好,在96 h时B61B67对芘和苯并(a)芘的降解率分别为43.49%和38.55%.     

糙皮侧耳和鞘脂菌NS7对多环芳烃污染土壤的生物强化与协同作用

[背景] 真菌和细菌被认为在多环芳烃污染土壤生物修复过程中发挥协同作用,目前在真实土壤体系中开展真菌-细菌协同降解研究较少。[目的] 研究真菌和细菌对不同种类多环芳烃降解的差异及对蒽和苯并[a]蒽的生物强化与协同作用。[方法] 选用多环芳烃降解真菌和细菌各一株,在液体纯培养体系下分析它们对不同种类多环芳烃降解的差异,在土壤体系中采用放射性同位素示踪技术研究2种微生物对蒽和苯并[a]蒽的生物强化与协同作用。[结果] 供试细菌鞘脂菌NS7能够很好地降解低环种类多环芳烃,以蒽作为唯一碳源时可以将其完全降解,在复合污染条件下对菲、蒽、荧蒽、芘等降解效果突出（>90%）,对苯并[a]芘降解效果较差（9.76%）。相比而言,供试真菌糙皮侧耳菌对苯并[a]芘具有更好的降解效果（21.18%）,对低环多环芳烃降解效果明显不如降解菌NS7。在自然土壤中,蒽和苯并[a]蒽具有明显不同的矿化效率,分别为18.61%和4.28%,在蒽污染土壤中加入鞘脂菌NS7并未显著提高蒽的矿化率（P>0.05）,相比而言,苯并[a]蒽污染土壤中加入糙皮侧耳显著提高了污染物矿化效率（2.24倍）,表明真菌和细菌在土壤环境中的定殖存活能力可能影响了生物强化效果。采用灭菌土壤排除土著微生物的竞争排斥作用,研究了真菌菌丝对生物强化降解的影响,发现在蒽污染土壤中,真菌菌丝的迁移作用显著提高了细菌鞘脂菌NS7对污染物的矿化率,从1.75%提高到5.91%;而在苯并[a]蒽灭菌污染土壤中,接种糙皮侧耳却没有发现苯并[a]蒽矿化率提高的现象,表明自然土壤中真菌强化降解苯并[a]蒽的作用可能是源于真菌菌丝促进污染物和土著降解菌的接触,而非直接来自真菌本身。[结论] 细菌能够很好地降解低环种类多环芳烃,而真菌对高环种类多环芳烃降解效果较好。真菌可能通过菌丝促进土著微生物在土壤中的迁移,增大多环芳烃和土著降解菌的接触,从而促进了多环芳烃降解。研究加深了对多环芳烃污染土壤生物强化修复的认识,对发展基于真菌-细菌协同作用的生物强化与调控技术提供理论指导。     

油田区多环芳烃污染盐碱土壤活性微生物群落结构解析

多环芳烃(Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,PAHs)是土壤中广泛存在的、美国环保总署(USEPA)优先控制的一类有毒(致癌、致突变)的持久性污染物,主要来源于人类活动。土壤微生物多样性是表征土壤质量变化的敏感指标之一。磷脂脂肪酸(PLFAs)分析方法是基于活性微生物细胞膜的PLFAs组分的生化检测技术,克服了传统培养方法只能分离出少量微生物(1%)的缺点。采用PLFAs方法,解析了土壤活性微生物对PAHs污染胁迫的反应。结果表明,土壤微生物分布情况可分为4种类型:Ⅰ型,微生物PLFAs种类最多,占该区土壤微生物PLFAs种类总数的57.7%,PAHs对变量的解释量最小;Ⅱ型,微生物PLFAs占PLFAs总数的30.8%,PAHs对变量的解释量较小;Ⅲ型,微生物PLFAs种类占总数的7.68%,PAHs对变量的解释量较大;Ⅳ型,微生物PLFAs的种类仅占总数的3.85%,PAHs对变量的解释量最大。相关性分析表明:土壤微生物PLFAs的种类、生物量和生态多样性指数与土壤中萘(Nap)、芴(Flu)、蒽(Ant)、苯并[K]荧蒽(Bkf)、苯并[a]芘(Bap)、茚并[1,2,3-cd]芘(Ind)的相对含量呈负相关关系;与苊(Ace)、菲(Phe)、荧蒽(Fla)、芘(Pyr)、苯并[a]蒽(Baa)的相对含量呈正相关关系;与PAHs的种类和浓度呈负相关关系。结果将为开展PAHs污染土壤的生态风险评价和微生物生物修复技术研究提供理论依据。     

污染土壤中苯并(a)芘的微生物降解途径研究进展

苯并(a)芘(BaP)是一种具有强致癌、致畸和致突变的多环芳烃(PAHs)。为了修复BaP污染的土壤,探索其降解途径是很重要的。为此,综述了国内外有关污染土壤中苯并(a)芘的微生物降解情况,对不同真菌、细菌降解苯并(a)芘的能力、代谢途径、共代谢底物以及环境影响因素进行了介绍和比较,提出了苯并(a)芘中间代谢产物的累积及其环境毒性方面的研究是修复苯并(a)芘污染土壤的重要方向。     

高环多环芳烃降解菌的筛选及其降解特性

通过富集培养及平板升华法从本溪钢铁公司周边多环芳烃(PAHs)污染土壤中分离出7株PAHs降解菌。以芘和苯并[a]芘为底物进行摇瓶降解实验,结果表明:G1、G2和G3菌株对高环PAHs芘和苯并[a]芘均具有较强的降解能力。进一步研究此3株菌及混合菌对原状污染土壤中PAHs的降解能力,发现80 d时对总PAHs的降解顺序依次为:混合菌G2G1G3,其中混合菌对PAHs降解率较单菌分别提高了9.17%、11.49%和16.11%;4个处理对4~6环PAHs的降解率较对照组相比提高的倍数随着环数增加而增大;总PAHs的降解率与脱氢酶的活性呈正相关。电场影响G1、G2和G3菌株对PAHs降解,在1.0 V·cm~(-1)电场条件下,4环、5环及6环PAHs降解率较单纯微生物修复提高12.13%、13.35%和14.52%,说明3株菌具有较强的电场适应能力,可在高环PAHs污染土壤的电动-微生物修复中应用。形态学观察及16S rRNA序列比对分析表明,G1、G2、G3菌株分别为鞘氨醇单胞菌属(Sphingomonas sp.)、苍白杆菌属(Ochrobactrum sp.)和无色杆菌属(Achromobacter sp.)。     

土壤中高分子量PAHs微生物降解机理及影响因素研究进展

高分子量多环芳烃( HMW PAHs)分子结构复杂,疏水性强,是环境中广泛存在的难降解的有机污染物.微生物降解是去除HMW PAHs的主要途径.本文介绍了PAHs降解菌株的种类和降解机理,以及不同环境因子(营养元素、pH值、土壤结构、通气状况和复合污染)对HMW PAHs降解的影响,提出HMW PAHs污染土壤的进一步研究的方向与重点,旨在为HMW PAHs污染修复研究和微生物降解机理研究提供参考.     

分枝杆菌TZh51菌株的分离鉴定及其生物修复污染土壤的特性

[目的]为获得降解芘的微生物菌株,并用其生物修复被多环芳烃污染的土壤.[方法]芘降解菌的分离采用平板升华法.根据表型观察、生理生化特性和16S rDNA的序列同源性分析,对菌株进行分类学鉴定.通过活菌计数、HPLC测定多环芳烃的残留量,研究菌株在固体、液体无机盐培养基以及在污染土壤中降解多环芳烃(polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,PAHs)的能力.[结果]分离到4株能降解芘的菌株TZh51、TZh52、TG42和TG52.实验结果表明,TZh51降解PAHs的能力强于其余3株菌.TZh51被鉴定为分枝杆菌属(Mycobacterium sp.),但与已发表的分枝杆菌菌株M11为不同的种.TZh51接种在芘膜的固体无机盐培养基上,测定获得最大芘降解量的条件是培养温度为3512和芘膜厚度为130 ng/mm2.在芘浓度为50、100 mg/L的液体无机盐培养基中培养,6天时TZh51的芘降解率分别达到91.9%、71.8%,10天时菌体数量分别达到最大值为2.0、6.0×108cfu/mL;TZh51降解芘的效果强于M11.在种植作物的处理中,到第6周时TZh51的菌体数量达到每克干土含7.2×108个菌落数,到第8周时菲、荧蒽和芘的降解率分别达到91.4%、86.9%和85.8%;[结论]TZh51具有很强降解PAHs的能力;另外,TZh51与作物联合生物修复污染土壤的效果明显.     

Effects of humic substances and soya lecithin on the aerobic bioremediation of a soil historically contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

The high hydrophobicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) strongly reduces their bioavailability in aged contaminated soils, thus limiting their bioremediation. The biodegradation of PAHs in soils can be enhanced by employing surface-active agents. However, chemical surfactants are often recalcitrant and exert toxic effects in the amended soils. The effects of two biogenic materials as pollutant-mobilizing agents on the aerobic bioremediation of an aged-contaminated soil were investigated here. A soil historically contaminated by about 13 g kg(-1) of a large variety of PAHs, was amended with soya lecithin (SL) or humic substances (HS) at 1.5% w/w and incubated in aerobic solid-phase and slurry-phase reactors for 150 days. A slow and only partial biodegradation of low-molecular weight PAHs, along with a moderate depletion of the initial soil ecotoxicity, was observed in the control reactors. The overall removal of PAHs in the presence of SL or HS was faster and more extensive and accompanied by a larger soil detoxification, especially under slurry-phase conditions. The SL and HS could be metabolized by soil aerobic microorganisms and enhanced the occurrence of both soil PAHs and indigenous aerobic PAH-degrading bacteria in the reactor water phase. These results indicate that SL and HS are biodegradable and efficiently enhance PAH bioavailability in soil. These natural surfactants significantly intensified the aerobic bioremediation of a historically PAH-contaminated soil under treatment conditions similar to those commonly employed in large-scale soil bioremediation.     

4种绿化树种盆栽土壤微生物对柴油污染响应及对PAHs的修复

采用室内盆栽实验,利用柴油按不同比例混合土壤0 g/kg(CK),2 g/kg(L1),10 g/kg(L2)和50 g/kg(L3)制备了含不同浓度PAHs的污染土样,选择1年生樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)、广玉兰(Magnolia grandiflora)、栾树(Koelreuteria bipinnata)、马褂木(Liriodendron chinense)幼苗为供试植物,进行了土壤微生物对柴油的响应及对PAHs的修复研究。结果表明:(1)4个树种土壤微生物区系组成以细菌占优势,放线菌次之,真菌最少。(2)在各测定时间树种间土壤微生物总数对污染处理响应差异较大。栾树各污染处理组土壤微生物总数均高于对照组;樟树各污染处理土壤微生物在实验前期低于对照;广玉兰为污染处理组在4月份显著低于对照,而在其他月份多高于对照;马褂木在4月份均低于对照,其他月份为L1处理低于对照,L2、L3处理高于对照(1月L2除外)。(3)4个树种对照土壤中微生物总数随时间的变化都是从10月逐渐增加至翌年4月,然后不断减少至10月;污染处理土壤微生物总数呈现峰值提前或滞后现象,主要出现在1月或7月。真菌是控制PAHs降解的重要因素。(4)经过1a实验,各树种L1、L2处理土壤中的PAHs浓度已与对照土壤相当;L3处理各树种土壤中PAHs含量为马褂木>栾树>广玉兰>樟树。     

石油污染对土壤微生物群落多样性的影响

土壤中的微生物主要有细菌、放线菌、真菌三大类群,微生物在石油污染的土壤中发挥着维持生态平衡和生物降解的功能。文中以四川省遂宁市射洪县某废弃油井周围不同程度石油污染土壤为供试土壤,首先对各组供试土壤的基本理化性质进行测定分析;然后采用平板菌落计数法测定了供试土壤中三大类微生物数量的变化,结果表明:相比未被污染的对照土壤,石油污染的土壤中细菌、放线菌、真菌数量均减少,并且土壤中可培养微生物的数量与土壤含水量呈正相关;再采用454焦磷酸测序技术对土壤中的细菌群落多样性及变化进行16S rRNA基因分析。在所有供试的4个土壤样品中,共鉴定出不少于23 982个有效读取序列和6 123种微生物,相比于未被污染的对照土壤,石油污染土壤中细菌的种类更加丰富,主要优势门类为酸杆菌门、放线菌门、拟杆菌门、绿弯菌门、浮霉菌门和变形菌门。但不同土壤样品中优势菌群的群落结构有所差异,石油污染的土壤中,酸杆菌门、放线菌门和变形菌门的数量最多,未被石油污染的土壤中,放线菌门、拟杆菌门和变形菌门的数量最多。     

Mycobacterium diversity and pyrene mineralization in petroleum-contaminated soils

Degradative strains of fast-growing Mycobacterium spp. are commonly isolated from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soils. Little is known, however, about the ecology and diversity of indigenous populations of these fast-growing mycobacteria in contaminated environments. In the present study 16S rRNA genes were PCR amplified using Mycobacterium-specific primers and separated by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE), and prominent bands were sequenced to compare the indigenous Mycobacterium community structures in four pairs of soil samples taken from heavily contaminated and less contaminated areas at four different sites. Overall, TGGE profiles obtained from heavily contaminated soils were less diverse than those from less contaminated soils. This decrease in diversity may be due to toxicity, since significantly fewer Mycobacterium phylotypes were detected in soils determined to be toxic by the Microtox assay than in nontoxic soils. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of prominent TGGE bands indicated that novel strains dominated the soil Mycobacterium community. Mineralization studies using [(14)C]pyrene added to four petroleum-contaminated soils, with and without the addition of the known pyrene degrader Mycobacterium sp. strain RJGII-135, indicated that inoculation increased the level of degradation in three of the four soils. Mineralization results obtained from a sterilized soil inoculated with strain RJGII-135 suggested that competition with indigenous microorganisms may be a significant factor affecting biodegradation of PAHs. Pyrene-amended soils, with and without inoculation with strain RJGII-135, experienced both increases and decreases in the population sizes of the inoculated strain and indigenous Mycobacterium populations during incubation.     

微生物强化修复石油污染土壤的研究进展

微生物修复被认为是去除石油污染物和修复石油污染土壤的一种经济、高效且无二次污染的绿色清洁技术。受土壤环境条件和石油污染物性质等因素制约,土壤中土著石油降解微生物常存在数量不足、活性偏低、生长缓慢等问题,导致修复效果不佳、修复周期偏长。微生物强化修复技术可有效提高微生物降解效能,通过投加具有降解效能的功能菌株或菌剂、营养物质、表面活性剂、生长基质及固定化微生物等手段,可改善提升土著微生物对石油污染土壤的修复效果。文中梳理了已报道的石油降解微生物的种类,总结了微生物修复石油污染土壤的主要影响因素,阐述了微生物强化修复石油土壤的多种有效策略,提出了微生物强化修复石油污染的未来发展方向。     

The role of indigenous bacterial and fungal soil populations in the biodegradation of crude oil in a desert soil

The biodegradation capacity of indigenous microbial populations was examined in a desert soil contaminated with crude oil. To evaluate biodegradation, soil samples supplemented with 5, 10 or 20% (w/w) of crude oil were incubated for 90 days at 30 °C. The effect of augmentation of the soil with vermiculite (50% v/v) as a bulking agent providing increased surface/volume ratio and improved soil aeration was also tested. Maximal biodegradation (91%) was obtained in soil containing the highest concentration of crude oil (20%) and supplemented with vermiculite; only 74% of the oil was degraded in samples containing the same level of crude oil but lacking vermiculite. Gas chromatograms of distilled fractions of crude oil extracted from the soil before and after incubation demonstrated that most of the light and part of the intermediate weight fractions initially present in the oil extracts could not be detected after incubation. Monitoring of microbial population densities revealed an initial decline in bacterial viable counts after exposure to oil, presumably as a result of the crude oil’s toxicity. This decline was followed by a steep recovery in microbial population density, then by a moderate increase that persisted until the end of incubation. By contrast, the inhibitory effect of crude oil on the fungal population was minimal. Furthermore, the overall increased growth response of the fungal population, at all three levels of contamination, was about one order of magnitude higher than that of the bacterial population.     

Mycobacterium Diversity and Pyrene Mineralization in Petroleum-Contaminated Soils

Degradative strains of fast-growing Mycobacterium spp. are commonly isolated from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soils. Little is known, however, about the ecology and diversity of indigenous populations of these fast-growing mycobacteria in contaminated environments. In the present study 16S rRNA genes were PCR amplified using Mycobacterium-specific primers and separated by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE), and prominent bands were sequenced to compare the indigenous Mycobacterium community structures in four pairs of soil samples taken from heavily contaminated and less contaminated areas at four different sites. Overall, TGGE profiles obtained from heavily contaminated soils were less diverse than those from less contaminated soils. This decrease in diversity may be due to toxicity, since significantly fewer Mycobacterium phylotypes were detected in soils determined to be toxic by the Microtox assay than in nontoxic soils. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of prominent TGGE bands indicated that novel strains dominated the soil Mycobacterium community. Mineralization studies using [¹⁴C]pyrene added to four petroleum-contaminated soils, with and without the addition of the known pyrene degrader Mycobacterium sp. strain RJGII-135, indicated that inoculation increased the level of degradation in three of the four soils. Mineralization results obtained from a sterilized soil inoculated with strain RJGII-135 suggested that competition with indigenous microorganisms may be a significant factor affecting biodegradation of PAHs. Pyrene-amended soils, with and without inoculation with strain RJGII-135, experienced both increases and decreases in the population sizes of the inoculated strain and indigenous Mycobacterium populations during incubation.     

Adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by soil particles: influence on biodegradability and biotoxicity

Summary Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) biodegradation was investigated in contaminated soils from two different industrial sites under simulated land treatment conditions. Soil samples from a former impregnation plant (soil A) showed high degradation rates of PAHs by the autochthonous microorganisms, whereas PAHs in material of a closed-down coking plant (soil B) were not degraded even after inoculation with bacteria known to effectively degrade PAHs. As rapid PAH biodegradation in soil B was observed after PAHs were extracted and restored into the extracted soil material, the kind of PAH binding in soil B appears to completely prevent biodegradation. Sorption of PAHs onto extracted material of soil B follows a two-phase process (fast and slow); the latter is discussed in terms of migration of PAHs into soil organic matter, representing less accessible sites within the soil matrix. Such sorbed PAHs are suggested to be non-bioavailable and thus non-biodegradable. By eluting soil B with water, no biotoxicity, assayed as inhibition of bioluminescence, was detected in the aqueous phase. When treating soil A analogously, a distinct toxicity was observed, which was reduced relative to the amount of activated carbon added to the soil material. The data suggest that sorption of organic pollutants onto soil organic matter significantly affects biodegradability as well as biotoxicity.     

Bioremediation of polyaromatic hydrocarbon contaminated soils by native microflora and bioaugmentation with Sphingobium chlorophenolicum strain C3R: A feasibility study in solid- and slurry-phase microcosms

The aim of the research was to verify if a Sphingobium chlorophenolicum strain C3R was effective in the degradation of phenanthrene (Ph) in agricultural soil co-contaminated by metals and mixtures of PAHs. The presence of PAHs in mixtures produced interactive effects which could either increase or decrease the utilization rate of Ph by C3R and by the native bacterial microflora. Bioaugmentation significantly improved the biodegradation rate of Ph in the presence of both cadmium and arsenic and PAH mixtures. The augmented C3R strain persisted in inoculated microcosms as monitored by the DGGE analysis and outcompeted some indigenous bacteria. The potential role of the soil bacteria in PAH degradation could be envisaged. The results indicate the applicability of S. chlorophenolicum C3R toward in situ bioremediation of sites contaminated with phenanthrene alone or co-contaminated with low molecular weight PAHs and with cadmium and arsenate.     

Effect of the fuel system icing inhibitor diethylene glycol monomethyl ether on the biodegradation of jet fuel in soil

Microbial degradation of jet fuel leads to the accumulation of sludge in fuel distribution systems and storage tanks. To prevent this phenomenon, the biocidal anti-icing inhibitor diethylene glycol monomethyl ether (DiEGME) is routinely added to the fuel. The fate of DiEGME in soil and its consequent effect on the biodegradation of jet fuel by indigenous soil microflora have not been investigated. The aim of this work was to study the kinetics of biodegradation of jet fuel in dark rendzina soil, as affected by the presence of DiEGME. Our data show that the degradability in soil of jet fuel amended with DiEGME was tenfold higher than that of non-amended fuel. Consequently, there was an increase in the jet-fuel-utilizing soil microbial populations during the 100 days of incubation of soil samples amended with jet fuel containing DiEGME. Gas chromatograms of distilled fractions of jet fuel extracted from the soil demonstrated that most of the light fractions' extracts could not be detected at the end of the 100-day incubation. The relative concentration of aromatic compounds in the soil contaminated with DiEGME-amended jet fuel increased during incubation, demonstrating the lower biodegradation rate of these components compared with other fuel components. DiEGME was partially degraded by the general microbial population of the soil. Maximal DiEGME degradation was obtained with specific jet-fuel-utilizing microbial strains – Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Cladosporium resinae – that were added to a carbon-free mineral medium. The degradation rate of DiEGME by specific strains or by soil mixed populations bore an inverse relationship to the DiEGME concentration. The finding that DiEGME can be degraded by indigenous soil microorganisms may have facilitated its utilization also by jet-fuel-degrading microorganisms.