Enhanced Microbial Removal of Pyrene in Soils in the Presence of Earthworms

Microbial degradation of pyrene was studied in soils in the presence and absence of earthworms (Eisenia foetida) to demonstrate an integrated innovative strategy for bioremediation of sites lightly polluted by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Desorption of pyrene and soil microbial respiration were measured to elucidate the mechanism of enhanced microbial degradation. The results showed that both soil properties and contact time could influence pyrene biodegradation. The introduction of E. foetida enhanced pyrene removal significantly both in freshly spiked and aged soils. The percentage pyrene removal in the presence of E. foetida was 45.5–91.0% after 14 d of incubation, which were 2.1 to 2.8 times greater than those without the worms. The enhanced pyrene removal is attributed to both enhanced microbial degradation and uptake by the worms. Microbial degradation of pyrene increased by 1.2 to 1.6 times in the presence of the worms. Overall, the introduction of live worms could improve both pyrene bioavailability and microbial activity, which leads to enhanced microbial degradation of pyrene.