Abstract
Summary In the past decades, large amounts of non‐insecticidal hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (α‐, β‐, δ‐ and ɛ‐HCH) have been dumped as side‐products of the insecticide γ‐HCH (lindane). This study investigates the effect of HCH isomers on methane oxidation, an important soil function performed by methanotrophic bacteria. Both activity and structure of the methanotrophic community were assessed, using methane oxidation assays and PCR‐DGGE (polymerase chain reaction‐denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) respectively. Methane oxidation assays with historically polluted soils revealed that on the long‐term methane oxidation was inhibited by HCH pollution. PCR‐DGGE and diversity analysis based on Lorenz curves showed that the type I methanotrophic community was less evenly distributed in historically HCH‐polluted soils compared with less polluted reference soils. Short‐term experiments with methane‐enriched consortia further demonstrated that only γ‐ and δ‐isomers inhibited methane oxidation. Type I methanotrophs of methane‐enriched microbial consortia that received γ‐ or δ‐HCH evolved towards higher species richness. Apparently, for historically HCH‐polluted soils, a narrow community remained after long‐term exposure while in case of short‐term exposures, methane‐enriched consortia were converted into less active, but richer communities when they were stressed by the presence of γ‐ or δ‐HCH. This work demonstrates the importance of incorporating all isomers and possible other side‐products in risk assessment studies of persistent organic pollutants and the use of structural analysis of type I methanotrophic communities as evaluating tool.