EN
The removal of PAHs was stimulated by wastewater sludge in an alkaline saline soil of the former Lake Texcoco, but not always to the same extent. We investigated how a varying electrolytic conductivity (EC) affected the removal of phenanthrene (PHEN) and anthracene (ANTHR) from wastewater sludge-amended soils. Soil with EC 6, 30, 80, and 146 dS m⁻¹ was contaminated with PHEN and ANTHR and amended with or without wastewater sludge, while emissions of CO₂ and concentrations of ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate were monitored. A decrement on the concentrations of PHEN and ANTHR was observed and was faster in soil with EC 6 dS m⁻¹ than in soil with EC 30 dS m⁻¹ and 80 dS m⁻¹, and was slower than in soil with EC 146 dS m⁻¹. Adding wastewater sludge to soil reduced the concentration of PHEN and ANTHR in soil after 56 days. Spiking soil with PAHs or amending it with wastewater sludge increased the CO₂ emission rate, but decreased at higher EC. The concentration of NO₃⁻ decreased when soil was spiked with PAHs and amended with sludge, except in soil with EC 146 dS m⁻¹. It was found that the removal of PAHs was not inhibited by salt content and a principal component analysis indicated that none of the measured soil characteristics, i.e., pH, EC, particle size distribution, water-holding capacity, or organic C content predicted the removal of ANTHR or PHEN from contaminated soil. The application of wastewater sludge increased the dissipation of PHEN and ANTHR after 56 days.