The contamination of the water bodies by diesel oil (DO) and its water-soluble fraction (WSF) represents one of the most challenging tasks in the management of polluted water streams. This paper contains data related to the synthesis and characteristics of the plum stone biochar material (PmS-B), which was made from waste plum stones (PmS), along with its possible application in the sorption of the WSF of DO from contaminated water. Techniques applied in sample characterisation and comparisons were: Elemental Organic Analysis (EOA), Scanning Electron Microscopy−Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), pH (pH_sus) and point of zero charge (pH_pzc). In order to increase the overall efficiency of the removal process, sorption and bioremediation were subsequently combined. Firstly, PmS-B was used as a sorbent of WSF, and then the remaining solution was additionally treated with a specific consortium of microorganisms. After the first treatment phase, the initial concentration of diesel WSF was reduced by more than 90%, where most of the aromatic components of DO were removed by sorption. The sorption equilibrium results were best fitted by the Sips isotherm model, where the maximum sorption capacity was found to be 40.72 mg/g. The rest of the hydrocarbon components that remained in the solution were further subjected to the biodegradation process by a consortium of microorganisms. Microbial degradation lasted 19 days and reduced the total diesel WSF concentration to 0.46 mg/L. In order to confirm the non-toxicity of the water sample after this two-stage treatment, eco-toxicity tests based on a microbial biosensor (Aliivibrio fischeri) were applied, confirming the high efficiency of the proposed method.

The group of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are very hazardous environmental pollutants because of their mutagenic, carcinogenic and toxic effects on living systems. The aim of this study was to examine and compare the ability and efficiency of selected bacterial isolates obtained from oil-contaminated areas to biodegrade PAHs. The potential of the bacteria to biodegrade various aromatic hydrocarbons was assessed using the 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol assay. Further biodegradation of PAHs was monitored by gravimetric and gas-chromatographic analysis. Among the eight bacterial isolates, identified on the basis of 16S rDNA sequences, two isolates, Planomicrobium sp. RNP01 and Rhodococcus sp. RNP05, had the ability to grow on and utilize almost all examined hydrocarbons. Those isolates were further examined for biodegradation of phenanthrene and pyrene, as single substrates, and as a mixture, in vitro for ten days. After three days, both isolates degraded a significant amount phenanthrene, which has a simpler chemical structure than pyrene. Planomicrobium sp.RNP01 commenced biodegradation of pyrene in the PAH mixture only after it had almost completly degraded phenanthrene. The isolated and characterized bacteria, Planomicrobium sp. RNP01 and Rhodococcus sp. RNP05, have shown high bioremediation potential and are likely candidates to be used for degradation of highly toxic PAHs in contaminated areas.