Kim, Naeun Jo, Jungman Lee, Jinkyung Lee, Gwan-Ho Yu, Byung-Yong Pyo, Heesoo Lee, Jeongae Choi, Jaeyoung 2024-01-19T08:32:27Z 2024-01-19T08:32:27Z 2023-09-07 2023-10 0304-3894 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/113226 Phenol is a carcinogenic and hazardous chemical used in multiple industries and poses a high risk of chemical spills into the environment. To date, environmental forensic research has not focused on chemically remediated soils. In this study, an advanced environmental forensic analysis was performed on microbial communities and breakdown products of phenol, carbon stable isotopes, and radioactive isotopes in phenol-contaminated soil. As indicators of phenol-spill accidents after natural attenuation, higher 813C levels and lower 14C/12C ratios were observed in phenol-contaminated soil compared with uncontaminated soil. In addition, 16s rRNA gene analysis revealed that phenol-breakdown products identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and the presence of soil bacteria, such as Nocardioides, Faecalibacterium, and Bacteroides, were indicators of phenol-leakage accidents. Therefore, the proposed environmental forensic strategy is a valuable tool for identifying the location of previously occurring chemical accidents and estimating the ecological impact after the natural attenuation of contaminated soils. English Elsevier BV Environmental forensics using stable and radioactive isotopes in naturally attenuated soil after phenol-leakage accidents Article 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132007 1 Journal of Hazardous Materials, v.459 Journal of Hazardous Materials 459 N scie scopus 001052219900001 2-s2.0-85166267264 Engineering, Environmental Environmental Sciences Engineering Environmental Sciences & Ecology Article CARBON BIODEGRADATION HYDROCARBONS VARIABILITY ORGANISMS Chemical accident Stable isotope Radioactive isotope 16s rRNA gene Breakdown products