Delanau, ClaraAspray, ThomasPawlett, MarkCoulon, Frederic2024-05-022024-05-022024-05-15Delanau C, Aspray T, Pawlett M, Coulon F. (2024) Exploring the influence of sulphur amendment and temperature on microbial activity in bioremediation of diesel-contaminated soil. Heliyon. Volume 10, Issue 9, May 2024, Article number e302352405-8440https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30235https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/21310This study investigated the effectiveness of incorporating sulphur (S) with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) for enhancing microbial activity in diesel-contaminated soil during ex-situ bioremediation. While N and P amendments are commonly used to stimulate indigenous microorganisms, the potential benefits of adding S have received less attention. The study found that historically contaminated soil with a moderate concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH; 1270 mg/kg) did not have nutrient limitation, and incubation temperature was found to be more critical for enhancing microbial activity. However, soil spiked with an additional 5000 mg/kg of diesel showed increased activity following NP and NPS amendment. Interestingly, NPS amendment at 10 °C resulted in higher microbial activity than at 20 °C, indicating the potential for a tailored nutrient amendment approach to optimize bioremediation in cold conditions. Overall, this study suggests that incorporating S with N and P can enhance microbial activity in diesel-contaminated soil during ex-situ bioremediation. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of considering incubation temperature in designing a nutrient amendment approach for bioremediation, especially in cold conditions. These findings can guide the design and implementation of future effective bioremediation strategies for petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil.en-UKAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Soil bioremediationRespirometryCO2 accumulationSulphur amendmentDiesel-contaminated soilArticlee30235109