Biostimulation and bioaugmentation of native microbial community accelerated bioremediation of oil refinery sludge

Scope for developing an engineered bioremediation strategy for the treatment of hydrocarbon-rich petroleum refinery waste was investigated through biostimulation and bioaugmentation approaches. Enhanced (46–55%) total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) attenuation was achieved through phosphate, nitrate or nitrate+phosphate amendment in the sludge with increased (upto 12%) abundance of fermentative, hydrocarbon degrading, sulfate-reducing, CO2-assimilating and methanogenic microorganisms (Bacillus, Coprothermobacter, Rhodobacter, Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, Desulfitobacter, Desulfosporosinus, T78, Methanobacterium, Methanosaeta, etc). Together with nutrients, bioaugmentation with biosurfactant producing and hydrocarbon utilizing indigenous Bacillus strains resulted in 57–75% TPH reduction. Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) analysis revealed enhanced gene allocation for transporters (0.45–3.07%), ABC transporters (0.38–2.07%), methane (0.16–1.06%), fatty acid (0.018–0.15%), nitrogen (0.07–0.17%), butanoate (0.06–0.35%), propanoate (0.004–0.26%) metabolism and some xenobiotics (0.007–0.13%) degradation. This study indicated that nutrient-induced community dynamics of native microorganisms and their metabolic interplay within oil refinery sludge could be a driving force behind accelerated bioremediation.