Removal of benzo[a]pyrene by a highly degradable microbial community immobilized by modified wheat straw biochar

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (HMW-PAHs), is a prevalent organic pollutant. Due to various environmental factors, the viability and degradation capacity of PAHs-degrading bacteria in contaminated soil are significantly reduced. Therefore, it is imperative to maintain microbial activity and enhance degradation efficiency. This study aims to optimize BaP removal by utilizing biochar-immobilized BaP for the enhancement of microbial communities’ degradative potential. The immobilization of modified wheat straw biochar (MWBC) significantly enhanced the removal efficiency of BaP by a highly efficient microbial community enriched from oil-contaminated soil, achieving a large removal efficiency of 75.18% for BaP (5–20 mg/L) in a mineral salts medium in 12 d. The study also involved a detection of the species richness and intermediate metabolites of microbial community, as well as an assessment of the challenges and difficulties associated with managing real contaminated sites.