Lyu, Zhe and Chu, Jiajun and Li, Dong and Zhang, Xiao-Hua and Shi, Xiaochong
(2025)
Effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon enrichment on microbial community structure in polar sediments.
Advances in Polar Science, 36 (4).
pp. 320-330.
Abstract
Understanding microbial responses to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution is crucial for assessing the current status of PAH contamination in polar regions. In this study, intertidal and marine sediments were enriched with a mixture of PAHs (naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluorene, pyrene, and fluoranthene). Isolation of culturable bacteria, high-throughput sequencing, and functional prediction were combined to systematically analyze bacterial structural and predicted functional responses to PAH exposure. High-throughput sequencing results showed that the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was significantly increased after enrichment, and Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter were identified as dominant genera under PAH exposure. These findings were consistent with the 19 potential PAH-degrading strains (mainly Pseudomonas) that were successfully isolated from enrichment cultures. Distinct bacterial taxa between enriched marine and intertidal sediments indicated the existence of distinct PAH-degrading groups. PICRUSt2-based functional predictions suggested higher predicted abundances of PAH-degradation pathways in polar sediments, likely through the preferential degradation of parent PAH compounds in response to elevated concentrations. This study provides valuable data on microbial responses to PAH pollution in polar regions and offers new insights for evaluating ecological hazards induced by PAHs.
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
