Prokaryotic, Microeukaryotic, and Fungal Composition in a Long-Term Polychlorinated Biphenyl-Contaminated Brownfield
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are recognized as persistent organic pollutants and accumulate in organisms, soils, waters,
and sediments, causing major health and ecological perturbations. Literature reported PCB bio-transformation by fungi and
bacteria in vitro, but data about the in situ impact of those compounds on microbial communities remained scarce while
being useful to guide biotransformation assays. The present work investigated for the first time microbial diversity from the
three-domains-of-life in a long-term contaminated brownfield (a former factory land). Soil samples were ranked according to
their PCB concentrations, and a significant increase in abundance was shown according to increased concentrations. Microbial
communities structure showed a segregation from the least to the most PCB-polluted samples. Among the identified
microorganisms, Bacteria belonging to Gammaproteobacteria class, as well as Fungi affiliated to Saccharomycetes class
or Pleurotaceae family, including some species known to transform some PCBs were abundantly retrieved in the highly
polluted soil samples.