Biological Activity Assessment in Mexican Tropical Soils with Different Hydrocarbon Contamination Histories

The use of soil health indicators linked to microbial activities, such as key enzymes and respirometric profiles, helps assess the natural attenuation potential of soils contaminated with hydrocarbons. In this study, the intrinsic physicochemical characteristics, biological activity and biodegradation potential were recorded for two soils with different contamination histories (>5 years and <1 months). The enzymatic activity (lipase and dehydrogenase) as well as microbiological and mineralisation profiles were measured in contaminated soil samples. Soil suspensions were tested as microbial inocula in biodegradation potential assays using contaminated perlite as an inert support. The basal respiratory rate of the recently contaminated soil was 15–38 mg C-CO2 kg−1 h−1, while the weathered soil presented a greater basal mineralisation capacity of 55–70 mg C-CO2 kg−1 h−1. The basal levels of lipase and dehydrogenase were significantly greater than those recorded in non-contaminated soils (551 ± 21 μg pNP g−1). Regarding the biodegradation potential assessment, the lipase (1000–3000 μg pNP g−1 of perlite) and dehydrogenase (~3000 μg INF g−1 of perlite) activities in the inoculum of the recently contaminated soil were greater than those recorded in the inoculum of the weathered soil. This was correlated with a high mineralisation rate (~30 mg C-CO2 kg−1 h−1) in the recently contaminated soil and a reduction in hydrocarbon concentration (~30 %). The combination of an inert support and enzymatic and respirometric analyses made it possible to detect the different biodegradation capacities of the studied inocula and the natural attenuation potential of a recently contaminated soil at high hydrocarbon concentrations.