bioremediation strategy. Here, we have reviewed (1) the use of organic matter and
mineral nutrients in bioremediation during composting treatments at laboratory and
full scale; (2) properties of digestate including biological stability, nutrients, pathogens, and organic contaminants; (3) monitoring approaches in bioremediation of soil
amended with digestate including chemical and biological assays as well as the use
of molecular markers. Organic matter is an efficient nutrient source during
composting of polluted soils. Remediation efficiency of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH)-contaminated soils during composting with organic amendments at
laboratory scale was reported to be high with 99% alkanes removal after 60 days.
For full-scale biopiles treatment, 38–57% of TPH could be removed after 53 days.
Addition of organic matter to soils also improves soil characteristics like pH and
structure as well as elevates bacterial density and diversity. Studies on organic matter
have indicated that anaerobic digestion and post-treatment of digestate, (e.g.,
composting), decrease pathogen content. Digestate has also elevated nutrient status
and biological stability in comparison with raw feedstock which may be further
improved by composting. Organic contaminants present in feedstock are decreasing
during anaerobic digestion and composting while trace elements accumulate. As
toxicity of soils after bioremediation is not always directly associated with contaminant concentration decrease, in remediation monitoring field, a battery of ecotoxicological tests are applied including ecotoxicological markers and bioassays. This
chapter is focused on the valorization of digestate as a nutrient source for bioremediation of TPH-contaminated soils by composting.
Keywords Contaminated soils · Bioremediation · Digestate · TPH · Petroleum
hydrocarbons · Biostimulation · Biological stability · Ecotoxicity · Monitoring ·
Composting
List of Abbreviations
ACS
Acyl-CoA Synthetase
acyl-coA Acetyl Coenzyme A
AH
Alkane Hydroxylase
ALD
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
AlkB
Integral-Membrane Non-Heme Di-Iron Monooxygenase
BAA
N-benzoyl-L-argininamid
BTEX
Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylenes
BVM
Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase
CFU
Colony Forming Unit
DEHP
Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate
DHD
dihydrodiol dehydrogenase
E
Esterase
EXDO
Extradiol Dioxygenase
HA
Hydratase Aldolase
HX
Hydroxylase
240
A. Gielnik et al.
mineral nutrients in bioremediation during composting treatments at laboratory and
full scale; (2) properties of digestate including biological stability, nutrients, pathogens, and organic contaminants; (3) monitoring approaches in bioremediation of soil
amended with digestate including chemical and biological assays as well as the use
of molecular markers. Organic matter is an efficient nutrient source during
composting of polluted soils. Remediation efficiency of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH)-contaminated soils during composting with organic amendments at
laboratory scale was reported to be high with 99% alkanes removal after 60 days.
For full-scale biopiles treatment, 38–57% of TPH could be removed after 53 days.
Addition of organic matter to soils also improves soil characteristics like pH and
structure as well as elevates bacterial density and diversity. Studies on organic matter
have indicated that anaerobic digestion and post-treatment of digestate, (e.g.,
composting), decrease pathogen content. Digestate has also elevated nutrient status
and biological stability in comparison with raw feedstock which may be further
improved by composting. Organic contaminants present in feedstock are decreasing
during anaerobic digestion and composting while trace elements accumulate. As
toxicity of soils after bioremediation is not always directly associated with contaminant concentration decrease, in remediation monitoring field, a battery of ecotoxicological tests are applied including ecotoxicological markers and bioassays. This
chapter is focused on the valorization of digestate as a nutrient source for bioremediation of TPH-contaminated soils by composting.
Keywords Contaminated soils · Bioremediation · Digestate · TPH · Petroleum
hydrocarbons · Biostimulation · Biological stability · Ecotoxicity · Monitoring ·
Composting
List of Abbreviations
ACS
Acyl-CoA Synthetase
acyl-coA Acetyl Coenzyme A
AH
Alkane Hydroxylase
ALD
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
AlkB
Integral-Membrane Non-Heme Di-Iron Monooxygenase
BAA
N-benzoyl-L-argininamid
BTEX
Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylenes
BVM
Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase
CFU
Colony Forming Unit
DEHP
Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate
DHD
dihydrodiol dehydrogenase
E
Esterase
EXDO
Extradiol Dioxygenase
HA
Hydratase Aldolase
HX
Hydroxylase
240
A. Gielnik et al.