ABSTRACT
A study was undertaken to assess if corn plant (Zea may L.) may be able to enhance the degradation of phenanthrene and pyrene in acidic soil inoculated with a bacterial strain (Pseudomonas putida MUB1) capable of degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Planting with corn, inoculating with MUB1, or a combination of the two were found to promote the degradation of phenanthrene and pyrene in acidic soil at different rates. In the presence of corn plants, the rates of phenanthrene and pyrene removal were 41.7 and 38.8% in the first 10 days, while the rates were 58.8 and 53.6%, respectively, in the treatment which received MUB1 only. After 60 days, the corn + MUB1 treatment led to the greatest reduction in both phenanthrene and pyrene biodegradation (89 and 88.2%, respectively). In control autoclaved soil, the rates of phenanthrene and pyrene removal were 14.2 and 28.7%, respectively, while in non-autoclaved soil, the rates were 68.7 and 53.2%, respectively. These results show that corn, which was previously shown to grow well in PAH-contaminated acidic soil, also can enhance PAH degradation in such soil. Inoculation with a known PAH degrader further enhanced PAH degradation in the presence of corn.