Water conditions and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis affect the phytoremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil by Phragmites australis

Phytoremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils using the synergistic functions of plants and rhizosphere microorganisms is a promising technology. However, successfully applying this approach presents challenges under certain conditions (submerged environments). This study analyzed the potential role of Phragmites australis in symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi during petroleum remediation at two water levels. AM inoculation promoted P. australis aboveground growth under non-flooded conditions, whereas flooding significantly increased P. australis biomass. The highest total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) degradation efficiency was observed in non-flooded soils, whereas submergence severely inhibited TPHs dissipation. Plants with AM inoculation treatments substantially enhanced the removal of TPHs under flooded conditions. TPH removal was positively correlated with dehydrogenase activity but negatively correlated with easily extracted glomalin-related soil proteins. Moreover, different petroleum-hydrocarbon-decaying candidates contributed to TPH removal in these two cultured soils. These findings provide valuable information for the remediation of future TPH-contaminated soils, especially applied in intermittently submerged environments.