Abstract
Respiratory quotient (RQ) is a parameter proposed as a tool for practical and online monitoring of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation. Various environmental factors and remediation conditions affect RQ values. Occasionally, actual RQ values deviate from theoretical RQ values of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation. In addition, different RQ calculation and interpretation approaches investigated in literature make it difficult to compare the results. In this study, different RQ calculation and interpretation methods given in the literature were compared and the effects of nitrogen biostimulation with ammonium and nitrate salts on RQ values of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation were investigated. Respirometric reactors were used in bioremediation of diesel fuel–contaminated soils. Ammonium sulfate and potassium nitrate were amended to enhance hydrocarbon biodegradation. Total n-alkane levels in the soils were analyzed after the incubation period. RQ values were calculated based on continuous CO2 and O2 measurements. Biostimulation with ammonium and nitrate led to significant contaminant biodegradation. The nitrogen source type affected RQ values significantly. It was concluded that in evaluating hydrocarbon biodegradability properties and interpreting biostimulation properties, the use of graphical RQ evaluation methods that include plotted statistical approaches allows access to more useful information than using individual theoretical RQ values.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aspray, T. J., Gluszek, A., & Carvalho, D. (2008). Effect of nitrogen amendment on respiration and respiratory quotient (RQ) in three hydrocarbon contaminated soils of different type. Chemosphere, 72(6), 947–951.
Chaillan, F., Chaineau, C. H., Point, V., Saliot, A., & Oudot, J. (2006). Factors inhibiting bioremediation of soil contaminated with weathered oils and drill cuttings. Environmental Pollution, 144, 255–265.
Chang, W., & Ghoshal, S. (2014). Respiratory quotients as a useful indicator of the enhancement of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation in field-aged contaminated soils in cold climates. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 106, 110–119.
Dilly, O. (2001). Microbial respiratory quotient during basal metabolism and after glucose amendment in soils and litter. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 33(1), 117–127.
Dilly, O. (2003). Regulation of the respiratory quotient of soil microbiota by availability of nutrients. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 43(3), 375–381.
Dilly, O. (2004). Effects of glucose, cellulose, and humic acids on soil microbial eco-physiology. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 167(3), 261–266.
Dilly, O., Nii-Annang, S., Franke, G., Fischer, T., Buegger, F., & Zyakun, A. (2011). Resilience of microbial respiration, respiratory quotient and stable isotope characteristics to soil hydrocarbon addition. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 43(9), 1808–1811.
Fallgren, P. H., Jin, S., Zhang, R. D., & Stahl, P. D. (2010). Empirical models estimating carbon dioxide accumulation in two petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils. Bioremediation Journal, 14(2), 98–108.
Hollender, J., Althoff, K., Mundt, M., & Dott, W. G. (2003). Assessing the microbial activity of soil samples, its nutrient limitation and toxic effects of contaminants using a simple respiration test. Chemosphere, 53(3), 269–275.
Jin, S., & Fallgren, P. H. (2007). Site-specific limitations of using urea as a nitrogen source in biodegradation of petroleum wastes in soil. Soil & Sediment Contamination, 16(5), 497–505.
Kahraman, B. F., Altin, A., Altin, S., & Bayik, G. D. (2017). Biostimulation of n-alkane degradation in diesel fuel-spiked soils. Soil & Sediment Contamination, 26(5), 486–500.
Khan, K. S., & Joergensen, R. G. (2006). Decomposition of heavy metal contaminated nettles (Urtica dioica L.) in soils subjected to heavy metal pollution by river sediments. Chemosphere, 65(6), 981–987.
Komilis, D. P., Vrohidou, A. E. K., & Voudrias, E. A. (2010). Kinetics of aerobic bioremediation of a diesel-contaminated sandy soil: effect of nitrogen addition. Water Air and Soil Pollution, 208(1–4), 193–208.
Lamy, E., Tran, T. C., Mottelet, S., Pauss, A., & Schoefs, O. (2013). Relationships of respiratory quotient to microbial biomass and hydrocarbon contaminant degradation during soil bioremediation. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 83, 85–91.
Margesin, R., Zimmerbauer, A., & Schinner, F. (2000). Monitoring of bioremediation by soil biological activities. Chemosphere, 40(4), 339–346.
Mirsal, I. A. (2004). Soil pollution origin, monitoring & remediation. Germany: Springer.
Moller, J., Winther, P., Lund, B., Kirkebjerg, K., & Westermann, P. (1996). Bioventing of diesel oil-contaminated soil: comparison of degradation rates in soil based on actual oil concentration and on respirometric data. Journal of Industrial Microbiology, 16(2), 110–116.
Pepper, I. L., & Gerba, C. P. (2005). Environmental microbiology: a laboratory manual. London: Elsevier Science.
Singh, P., Jain, R., Srivastava, N., Borthakur, A., Pal, D. B., Singh, R., et al. (2017). Current and emerging trends in bioremediation of petrochemical waste: a review. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 47(3), 155–201.
Taok, M., Cochet, N., Pauss, A., & Schoefs, O. (2007). Monitoring of microbial activity in soil using biological oxygen demand measurement and indirect impedancemetry. European Journal of Soil Biology, 43(5–6), 335–340.
Volke-Sepulveda, T. L., Gutierrez-Rojas, M., & Favela-Torres, E. (2003). Biodegradation of hexadecane in liquid and solid-state fermentations by Aspergillus niger. Bioresource Technology, 87(1), 81–86.
Volke-Sepulveda, T., Gutierrez-Rojas, M., & Favela-Torres, E. (2006). Biodegradation of high concentrations of hexadecane by Aspergillus niger in a solid-state system: kinetic analysis. Bioresource Technology, 97(14), 1583–1591.
White, D. M., Garland, D. S., & Woolard, C. R. (2008). Analytical methods for petroleum in cold region soils. In D. M. Filler, I. Snape, & D. L. Barnes (Eds.), Bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in cold regions (pp. 109–124). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Widrig, D. L., & Manning, J. F. (1995). Biodegradation of No-2 diesel fuel in the vadose zone - a soil column study. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 14(11), 1813–1822.
Xia, M. Q., Liu, Y., Taylor, A. A., Fu, D. F., Khan, A. R., & Terry, N. (2017). Crude oil depletion by bacterial strains isolated from a petroleum hydrocarbon impacted solid waste management site in California. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 123, 70–77.
Funding
This research was financially supported by the Research Fund of Bulent Ecevit University (Project Code: 2013 – 77047330 – 02) and the Research Fund of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Project Code: 113Y298).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kahraman, B.F., Altın, A. Evaluation of Different Approaches for Respiratory Quotient Calculation and Effects of Nitrogen Sources on Respiratory Quotient Values of Hydrocarbon Bioremediation. Water Air Soil Pollut 231, 381 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04763-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04763-z