A stimulating effect of sunlight transformed by a photoluminescent polymer films on the abundance dynamics, fermentation and respiration of indigenous microflora in oil-contaminated soils was investigated. The extents of biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons within 60 days were up to 60-70% and 26% of the overall background pollution level for the experimental and control site, respectively. Residual hydrocarbons extracted from samples of the contaminated soils were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy to show the appearance of additional absorption bands at 3350, 1600, and 1710 cm-1, thus indicating the formation of metabolites during enzymatic oxidation of oil. Chromatographic data corroborated the occurrence of intense oxidation.
photoluminescent polymer films, oil-contaminated soils, hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms, oxygenase activity, biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons