The Great East Japan Earthquakecausedtsunamisandresultedinwidespreaddamagetohumanlifeand
infrastructure. Thedisasteralsoresultedincontaminationoftheenvironmentbychemicalssuchaspoly-
cyclic aromatichydrocarbons(PAHs).Thisstudywasconductedtoinvestigatethedegradationpotential
and describethePAH-degradingmicrobialcommunitiesfromtsunamisedimentsinMiyagi,Japan.PAH-
degrading bacteriawereculturedbyenrichmentusingPAHmixtureorpyrenealoneascarbonandenergy
sources.