Biochar as a carrier for petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading Rhodococcus sp. for bioaugmentation of contaminated soil

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bioaugmentation with biochar-immobilized hydrocarbon-degrading Rhodococcus sp. Q15 on bacterial community composition and hydrocarbon removal in petroleum contaminated soil. Soil mesocosms were artificially contaminated with diesel fuel (7500 mg/kg) and amended with inoculated or uninoculated willow or softwood pellet -derived biochar at a rate of 1 % (w/w), or with a liquid inoculum, and incubated for 70 days under greenhouse conditions. Illumina 16S rRNA gene (V4) sequencing was used to characterize the diversity and structure of bacterial communities in the soil and associated with biochar particles.