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Weathering processes change properties and composition of spilled oil, representing the main reason of failure of bioaugmentation strategies. Our purpose was to investigate the metabolic adaptation of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria at harsh conditions to be considered to overcome the limitations of bioaugmentation strategies at harsh conditions. Polluted soils, exposed for prolonged periods to weathered oil in harsh soils and weather conditions, were used. Two types of enrichment cultures were employed using 5% and 10% oil or diesel as sole carbon sources with varying the mineral nitrogen sources and C/N ratios. The most effective isolates were obtained based on growth, tolerance to toxicity, and removal efficiency of diesel hydrocarbons. Activities of the newly isolated bacteria, in relation to the microenvironment from where they were isoalted and their interaction with the weathered oil, showed individual specific ability to adapt when exposed to such factors, to acquire metabolic potentialities. Among 39 isolates, ten identified ones by 16S rDNA genes similarities, including special two Pseudomonas isolates and one Citrobacter isolate, showed particularity of shifting hydrocarbon-degrading ability from short chain n-alkanes (n-C12–n-C16) to longer chain n-alkanes (n-C21–n-C25) and vice versa by alternating nitrogen source compositions and C/N ratios. This is shown for the first time.

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Non-magnetic and magnetic low-cost biochar (BC) from date pits (DP) were applied to remove tigecycline (TIGC) from TIGC-artificially contaminated water samples. Pristine biochar from DP (BCDP) and magnetite-decorated biochar (MBC-DP) were therefore prepared. Morphologies and surface chemistries of BCDP and MBC-DP were explored using FT-IR, Raman, SEM, EDX, TEM, and BET analyses. The obtained IR and Raman spectra confirmed the presence of magnetite on the surface of the MBC-DP. SEM results showed mesoporous surface for both adsorbents. BET analysis indicated higher amount of mesopores in MBC-DP. Box–Behnken (BB) design was utilized to optimize the treatment variables (pH, dose of the adsorbent (AD), concentration of TIGC [TIGC], and the contact time (CT)) and maximize the adsorptive power of both adsorbents. Higher % removal (%R), hitting 99.91%, was observed using MBC-DP compared to BCDP (77.31%). Maximum removal of TIGC (99.91%) was obtained using 120 mg/15 mL of MBC-DP for 10 min at pH 10. Equilibrium studies showed that Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms could best describe the adsorption of TIGC onto BCDP and MBC-DP, respectively, with a maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of 57.14 mg/g using MBC-DP. Kinetics investigation showed that adsorption of TIGC onto both adsorbents could be best-fitted to a pseudo-second-order (PSO) model.