Comparative assessment of bioremediation approaches to highly recalcitrant PAH degradation in a real industrial polluted soil

► A diversified approach throughout bioremediation assays on creosote polluted soil is provided. ► Best hydrocarbon depletion rates are achieved when lignocellulosic substrate is amended. ► Antagonistic effects exerted by native soil microbiota toward augmented white-rot fungi are reported. ► Nonionic surfactant Brij 30 hampers 4-ring PAHs degradation due to toxicity over PAH-degraders. ► Colonization tests on active autochthonous soil microbiota are crucial for fungal bioaugmentation.