Beschreibung:
AbstractDecontamination of 2‐monochlorophenol‐containing forest soil was studied in laboratory experiments. We found that in sterile soil, sorption of chlorophenol can occur. Chlorophenol disappearance of approximately 55% was observed in native soil; both soil sorption and degradation by indigenous soil populations caused this disappearance. In native soil, however, the rate of chlorophenol disappearance was enhanced up to slightly more than 90% by inoculation with a sludge taken from the aeration tank of a municipal wastewater treatment plant. In this sludge, the presence of Alcaligenes and Pseudomonas spp. was observed. In other experiments, addition to the soil of a laboratory culture preacclimated to 2‐monochlorophenol did not lead to a greater increase in chlorophenol disappearance. In contrast to native soil, inoculation of sterile soil had no effect on disappearance of the chlorophenol. A possible explanation for the lack of cometabolic degradation is that autoclaving of the soil destroys the organic substances within it.