Microbial ecology of the subsurface at an abandoned creosote waste site

Summary The microbial ecology of pristine, slightly contaminated, and heavily contaminated subsurface materials, and four subsurface materials on the periphery of the plume at an abandoned creosote waste site was investigated. Except for the unsaturated zone of the heavily contaminated material, mineralization of glucose (13.5 ppb) indicated a metabolically active microflora in all subsurface materials. However, mineralization (<40%) of naphthalene, phenanthrene, and 2-methylnaphthalene was observed in contaminated material and material from the periphery of the plume, but not in pristine material. Pentachlorophenol was mineralized in material from the periphery of the plume. Inorganic and organic nutrient amendments and changes in pH and temperature did not increase the extent of mineralization of the aromatic compounds. An array of organic compounds found in creosote were biotransformed in contaminated ground water; however some compounds were still detected after 7 months of incubation. The data suggest that the subsurface microflora in slightly and heavily contaminated subsurface materials and materials from the periphery of the plume has adapted to degrade many compounds found in creosote.