The potential role of bacteria as a bioremediation technique at the Sydney Coke Ovens site

The main objectives of this research were to ascertain whether bacteria are naturally occurring in the local groundwater and soils and to determine the potential role and effectiveness of these bacteria in degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in a bioremediation program at the Coke Ovens site in Sydney Nova Scotia. Samples were enumerated for sulphate reducing bacteria, iron reducing bacteria, aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and fermentative/acid producing bacteria. In addition the tolerance of these bacteria types was evaluated by adding various concentrations of naphthalene to soil sub samples. Both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were detected to be naturally occurring at the site, however, the populations of different types of bacteria varied. PAH concentrations were also variable throughout the site with the Coke Batteries and Domtar areas having the highest concentrations in the groundwater and soil, respectively. It was found that increasing concentrations of naphthalene did not have an affect on the bacteria population densities. It is therefore difficult to conclude whether PAH degrading bacteria are present without further studies.