Original Research The Use of an Electric Field to Enhance Bacterial Movement and Hydrocarbon Biodegradation in Soils

Bioremediation is the effective remediation technology for soils contaminated by biodegradable con-tamination. However, bioremediation of soils contaminated by hydrophobic compounds still remains a major challenge for the scientific and industrial world. There is still the need to develop techniques which allow an increase in bioremediation efficiency. A possible solution seems to be the stimulation of bacteria migration through the subsurface while using bioremediation. In this study a weak electric field in combination with the following bacterial strains: Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae was used to stimulate bacterial cell migration, as well as the biodegradation of crude oil contamination in soil samples. Bacterial cell migration under the influence of the weak electric field and crude oil biodegradation were estimated during the experiments. The effect of changes in electrode polarization were also included in this study. Results show that weak electric field application has a great influence on the speed and direction of bacterial migration in soil samples and biodegradation of the pollution. From the study of the application of the electric field in soil bacteria migration can be forced in the desired direction and consequently stimulate biodegradation of contamination in selected areas