• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.99-112
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• 2020

Rhizoremediation, based on the ecological synergism between plant and rhizosphere microorganisms, is an environmentally friendly method for the remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils. In order to mitigate global climate change, it is necessary to minimize greenhouse gas emissions while cleaning-up contaminated soils. In rhizoremediation, the main factors affecting pollutant remediation efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions include not only pollutant and soil physicochemical properties, but also plant-microbe interactions, microbial activity, and addition of amendments. This review summarizes the development in rhizoremediation technology for purifying oil-contaminated soils. In addition, the key parameters and strategies required for rhizoremediation to mitigate climate change mediation are discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.886-894
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• 2023

During the rhizoremediation of diesel-contaminated soil, methane (CH₄), a representative greenhouse gas, is emitted as a result of anaerobic metabolism of diesel. The application of methantrophs is one of solutions for the mitigation CH₄ emissions during the rhizoremediation of diesel-contaminated soil. In this study, CH₄-oxidizing rhizobacteria, Methylocystis sp. JHTF4 and Methyloversatilis sp. JHM8, were isolated from rhizosphere soils of tall fescue and maize, respectively. The maximum CH₄ oxidation rates for the strains JHTF4 and JHM8 were 65.8 and 33.8 mmol·g-DCW^-1·h^-1, respectively. The isolates JHTF4 and JHM8 couldn't degrade diesel. The inoculation of the isolate JHTF4 or JHM8 significantly enhanced diesel removal during rhizoremediation of diesel-contaminated soil planted with maize for 63 days. Diesel removal in the tall fescue-planting soil was enhanced by inoculating the isolates until 50 days, while there was no significant difference in removal efficiency regardless of inoculation at day 63. In both the maize and tall fescue planting soils, the CH₄ oxidation potentials of the inoculated soils were significantly higher than the potentials of the non-inoculated soils. In addition, the gene copy numbers of pmoA, responsible for CH₄ oxidation, in the inoculated soils were significantly higher than those in the non-inoculated soils. The gene copy numbers ratio of pmoA to 16S rDNA (the ratio of methanotrophs to total bacteria) in soil increased during rhizoremediation. These results indicate that the inoculation of Methylocystis sp. JHTF4 and Methyloversatilis sp. JHM8, is a promising strategy to minimize CH₄ emissions during the rhizoremediation of diesel-contaminated soil using maize or tall fescue.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.104-114
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• 2021

Petroleum-contaminated soil is considered among the most important potential anthropogenic atmospheric methane sources. Additionally, various rhizoremediation factors can affect methane emissions by altering soil ecosystem carbon cycles. Nonetheless, greenhouse gas emissions from soil have not been given due importance as a potentially relevant parameter in rhizoremediation techniques. Therefore, in this study we sought to investigate the effects of different plant and soil amendments on both remediation efficiencies and methane emission characteristics in diesel-contaminated soil. An indoor pot experiment consisting of three plant treatments (control, maize, tall fescue) and two soil amendments (chemical nutrient, compost) was performed for 95 days. Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal efficiency, dehydrogenase activity, and alkB (i.e., an alkane compound-degrading enzyme) gene abundance were the highest in the tall fescue and maize soil system amended with compost. Compost addition enhanced both the overall remediation efficiencies, as well as pmoA (i.e., a methane-oxidizing enzyme) gene abundance in soils. Moreover, the potential methane emission of diesel-contaminated soil was relatively low when maize was introduced to the soil system. After microbial community analysis, various TPH-degrading microorganisms (Nocardioides, Marinobacter, Immitisolibacter, Acinetobacter, Kocuria, Mycobacterium, Pseudomonas, Alcanivorax) and methane-oxidizing microorganisms (Methylocapsa, Methylosarcina) were observed in the rhizosphere soil. The effects of major rhizoremediation factors on soil remediation efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions discussed herein are expected to contribute to the development of sustainable biological remediation technologies in response to global climate change.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.329-334
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• 2010

In this study, the rhizoremediation of petroleum and heavy metal-contaminated soil was characterized employing Zea mays and two plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria, Gordonia sp. S2RP-17 and Serratia sp. SY5 which have petroleum-degrading activity and heavy metal-resistance, respectively. After 51 days, the average dry weights of Zea mays' root without and with the inoculation of rhizobacteria were $1.9{\pm}0.2$ and $5.6{\pm}0.7\;g$, respectively. Compared with initial TPH concentration in soil ($21,576{\pm}3,426\;mg-TPH{\cdot}kg-dry\;soil^{-1}$), the residual TPH concentrations were $220{\pm}98\;mg-TPH{\cdot}kg-dry\;soil^{-1}$ in soil planted with Zea mays, and $20{\pm}41\;mg-TPH{\cdot}kg-dry\;soil^{-1}$ in soil planted with Zea mays and inoculated with rhizobacteria. These results indicated that the inoculation of S2RP-17 and SY5 could promote TPH removability in soil as well as the growth of Zea mays' root. There was little positive effect of the rhizobacteria inoculation on the removability of heavy metal such as Cu, Cd and Pb in soil planted with Zea mays.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2007

The role of soil microorganisms, specifically rhizobacteria, in the development of rhizoremediation techniques is important to speed up the process and to increase the rate of mobilization or absorption of heavy metals to the plant. In this study, Methylobacterium sp. SY-NiR1 was isolated from the rhizosphere soils of plants in oil and heavy metal-contaminated soil. Based on its pink pigmented colony, rod-shape cells, and belonging in $\alpha-Proteobacteria$, Methylobacterium sp. SY-NiR1 is considered a pink-pigmented facultative methylotroph. SY-NiR1 had the ability to produce indole acetic acid which is one of phytohormones. This bacterium showed resistance against multiple heavy metals such as Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn, and the order of its resistance based on $EC_{50}$ was Zn > Ni > Cu > Pb > Cd > Cr. Therefore, Methylobacterium sp. SY-NiR1 can stimulate seed germination and plant growth in soil contaminated with heavy metals.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.413-424
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• 2021

In order to enhance rhizoremediation performance, which remediates contaminated soils using the interactions between plants and microorganisms in rhizosphere, it is required to develop effective microbial resources that simultaneously degrade contaminants and promote plant growth. In this study, heavy metal-resistant rhizobacteria, which had been cultivated in soils contaminated with heavy metals (copper, cadmium, and lead) and diesel were isolated from rhizospheres of maize and tall fescue. After that, the isolates were qualitatively evaluated for plant growth promoting (PGP) activities, heavy metal tolerance, and diesel degradability. As a result, six strains with heavy metal tolerance, PGP activities, and diesel degradability were isolated. Strains CuM5 and CdM2 were isolated from the rhizosphere soils of maize, and were identified as belonging to the genus Cupriavidus. From the rhizosphere soils of tall fescue, strains CuT6, CdT2, CdT5, and PbT3 were isolated and were identified as Fulvimonas soli, Cupriavidus sp., Novosphingobium sp., and Bacillus sp., respectively. Cupriavidus sp. CuM5 and CdM2 showed a low heavy metal tolerance and diesel degradability, but exhibited an excellent PGP ability. Among the six isolates, Cupriavidus sp. CdT2 and Bacillus sp. PbT3 showed the best diesel degradability. Additionally, Bacillus sp. PbT3 also exhibited excellent heavy metal tolerance and PGP abilities. These results indicate that the isolates can be used as promising microbial resources to promote plant growth and restore soils with contaminated heavy metals and diesel.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1431-1438
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• 2009

The role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in the phytoremediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soils is important in overcoming its limitations for field application. A plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, Serratia sp. SY5, was isolated from the rhizoplane of barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) grown in petroleum and heavy-metal-contaminated soil. This isolate has shown capacities for indole acetic acid production and siderophores synthesis. Compared with a non-inoculated control, the radicular root growth of Zea mays seedlings inoculated with SY5 can be increased by 27- or 15.4-fold in the presence of 15 mg-Cd/l or 15 mg-Cu/l, respectively. The results from hydroponic cultures showed that inoculation of Serratia sp. SY5 had a favorable influence on the initial shoot growth and biomass of Zea mays under noncontaminated conditions. However, under Cd-contaminated conditions, the inoculation of SY5 significantly increased the root biomass of Zea mays. These results indicate that Serratia sp. SY5 can serve as a promising microbial inoculant for increased plant growth in heavy-metal-contaminated soils to improve the phytoremediation efficiency.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.127-136
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• 2019

Land application of treated palm oil mill effluent (TPOME) could be used as an alternative tertiary wastewater treatment process. However, phenolic compounds in TPOME might be leached to the environment. This study investigated the ability of grasses on reducing phenolic compounds in the leachate after TPOME application. Several pasture grasses in soil pots were compared after irrigating with TPOME from stabilization ponds, which contained 360-630 mg/L phenolic compounds. The number of soil bacteria in planted pots increased over time with the average of $10^8CFU/g$ for mature grasses, while only $10^4-10^6CFU/g$ were found in the unplanted control pots. The leachates from TPOME irrigated grass pots contained lower amounts of phenolic compounds and had lower phytotoxicity than that of control pots. The phenol removal efficiency of grass pots was ranged 67-93% and depended on grass cultivars, initial concentration of phenolic compounds and frequency of irrigations. When compared to water irrigation, TPOME led to an increased phenolic compounds accumulation in grass tissues and decreased biomass of Brachiaria hybrid and Brachiaria humidicola but not Panicum maximum. Consequently, the application of TPOME could be conducted on grassland and the grass species should be selected based on the utilization of grass biomass afterward.