| Summary: | A polyphasic approach was used to examine the impact of contamination on soil microbial community structure. Two systems were examined using a combined biochemical and molecular biological approach. Petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soils from two Northern Canadian sites, representing long-term contamination, were examined using Biolog GN plates and PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of total community 16S rDNA. Results obtained using both methods demonstrated a positive correlation between samples that was based on the geographical origin of the samples, not on contamination level. In the second system, non-contaminated soil was contaminated with the explosive hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) to monitor the effect of short- to medium-term contamination. Changes in the soil microbial community were examined using PCR-DGGE of total community 16S rDNA combined with RDX mineralization and chemical analysis of intermediates. The non-contaminated loam soil had an inherent RDX degradative capability and contamination of soil columns with 1000 mg RDX/kg soil did not significantly change the 16S rDNA bacterial community profile. The bacterial diversity remained high as estimated by the number of bands present in the DGGE and by NQ-78704 statistical rarefaction analysis of 16S rDNA clone RFLPs. The same soil, used in 10% soil slurries (w/v), demonstrated two apparently different RDX degradation mechanisms based on mineralization and chemical analysis. The differences were based on aerobic versus anaerobic conditions and the presence/absence of Na3 citrate. PCR-DGGE performed on 16S rDNA from aerobic slurries amended with Na3-citrate detected the stimulation of 3 operational taxonomic units, identified as Stenotrophomonas sp., Sphingomonas sp. and a member of the Alcaligenaceae. The results from the two systems examined (short- to medium-term and long-term contamination) demonstrated the utility of a polyphasic approach in the examina
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