Bioremediation of a Crude Oil-Polluted Soil: Biodegradation,Leaching and Toxicity Assessments

The combined fate and effects of hydrocarbons (HC) on a soilecosystem affected by bioremediation were studied during 480days in a field experiment. The HC removal rates, the HC andmetabolites mobility and the potential toxicity were assessed.A clayey soil polluted by 18 000 mg HC kg^-1 dry soil, wastreated with either static-ventilated biopile or series of fivewindrows periodically tilled in order to determine the relativeinfluence of nutrients, bulking agents, aeration and soiltemperature. HC concentrations were determined by infraredspectrometry, gravimetry, gas chromatography andthermodesorption. Between 70 to 81% of the initial HC wereremoved through biological processes in fertilized soils,whereas natural attenuation without added nutrients was 56%.When adding fertilizers, residual HC were cyclic compoundspoorly biodegraded and strongly trapped on the organo-mineralmatter. Leaching of HC and water-soluble metabolites wasdemonstrated during the first stages of biodegradation. Lowlevels of the HC were detected in the leachates at day 480.Maximal toxicity was highest immediately after the introductionof oil then decreased as biodegradation proceeded. No toxiceffect was recorded on worms survival and on seeds germinationat day 480. However growth of plants was reduced in treatedsoils and a potential residual toxicity was observed on thebasis of photosynthesis inhibition and bacterial bioluminescence (Microtox) tests.     

Traceability of inbred and crossbred Cinta Senese pigs by evaluating the oxidative stress

Previous studies on the oxidative stress in swine indicated a strong link between the values of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), the subsequent antioxidant adaptive response (OXY) and the genetic selection. Such findings, mainly related to a cardiovascular inadequacy in lean, large muscle blocks and fast growing breeds, is associated with specific metabolic diseases such as porcine stress syndrome and mulberry heart disease. In this study, we investigated the oxidative stress parameters to trace the genetics of Cinta Senese (CS) pigs, a historical breed free-range reared in Siena countryside. Sera from CS (n = 24) and Large White x CS (LW x CS) (n = 24) groups around 120 kg body weight fed the same diet were sampled at slaughter. Sera from wild boars (WB) (n = 24) hunted in the same district were also considered. ROMs and OXY were evaluated in the three groups of swine. Significant differences by one-way anova (P < 0.05) between groups were found for both procedures. ROM levels were lower in WB (9.79 +/- 5.76 mm H2O2) and CS (18.02 +/- 7.42 mm H2O2), and highest in LW x CS (42.78 +/- 8.61 mm H2O2). OXY values ranged from 271.37 +/- 50.90 microm neutralized HOCl (WB) to 343.21 +/- 57.45 microm neutralized HOCl (LW x CS). Results indicated that the evaluation of the oxidative stress can effectively trace the CS pigs, thus aiding in preserving the overall specific traits of such a historical animal.