16S rRNA gene sequencing of oil contaminated soil samples treated with compost or compost and surfactant

The goal of this project was to study the overall process of bioremediation through following, in parallel, the evolution of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and HMW-PAHs concentrations, and the diversity and abundance of the bacterial community at different stages of bioremediation using metagenomics. The soil samples were collected from a moderately contaminated stockpile in Kuwait. Microcosms were set up to assess the effect of different treatments (adding inorganic nutrients; Surfactant) on TPHs and PAHs degradation. A control soil was taken from an area directly adjacent to the excavated contaminated soil at a depth of 20-30 cm. This soil was not subjected to bioremediation treatment. Three samples were collected from the contaminated stockpile immediately after treatment (0 days), 15 and 90 days after treatment. The soil samples were sieved through a 2mm pore size sieve and the total DNA was isolated. The microbial consortium associated with oil degradation at each interval was revealed through 16S rRNA gene-based next-generation sequencing.