Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-degrading functional microorganisms were identified in black soil based on high throughput analysis

• Through high-throughput sequencing and analysis of multiple soil genomes, functional microorganisms involved in DEHP degradation were elucidated. • The combination of soil extract and inorganic salt medium was used to screen DEHP-degrading bacterial communities with good degradability, which was consistent with the bioinformatics data. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has become an increasingly serious pollutant in soils. Microbial degradation represents a highly promising approach for its remediation. In this study, four black soils were used to simulate the natural degradation of DEHP over a 75-day microenvironmental experiment. High-throughput analysis was conducted to investigate the distribution and abundance of functional genes in soil microorganisms, aiming to explore functional microbial information. The degradation efficiency of DEHP in black soils was 76.37%, 74.16%, 92.21%, and 75.35%. The α-diversity of microbial community was positively correlated with the degradation rate. Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria exhibited sensitivity to DEHP contamination. Xanthomonaceae, Sphingomonadaceae, Hypomicrobiaceae, and Comamonadaceae contributed to the upstream metabolism of DEHP. The abundances of Rhodococcus, Sphingomonas, Nocardioides , and Arthrobacter were positively correlated with the abundance of functional genes enriched in the black soil for benzoate degradation. Concurrently, 10 DEHP-degrading bacterial communities were identified, and the taxonomic and functional profiles of certain members within these communities were consistent with the metagenomic data. Bacterial communities JQ104, JQ52, and JQ129 degraded more than 98% of DEHP (400 mg/L) in 48 h, demonstrating remarkable degradation efficiency. This study demonstrated the dynamic impact of the indigenous microbiome on DEHP contamination and verified the degradation capabilities of key functional microorganisms.