The application of wastewater sludge to an alkaline saline soil of Texcoco accelerated removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), but not always. As part of a study into factors that might affect dissipation of PAHs from soil, the effect of different application rates (0, 3, 9, 18, and 36 tons dry sludge ha^-1) of wastewater sludge on removal of phenanthrene and anthracene was studied in an alkaline saline soil with pH 9.7 and electrolytic conductivity (EC) of 7.6 dS m^-1. The dynamics of phenanthrene, anthracene, ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, and CO₂ were monitored for 56 days. Application of wastewater increased the removal rate of the PAHs independent of the concentration applied, and between 70 and 79% of the phenanthrene and 69 and 79% of the anthracene was removed after 56 days. Spiking soil with PAHs increased emissions of CO₂ while applying sludge further increased it. It was found that the removal of PAHs was initially low as the amount of phenanthrene and anthracene decreased after only 14 days. The addition of wastewater sludge increased the removal of phenanthrene and anthracene, but the effect was independent of the application rate or the PAHs studied. Spiking soil with PAHs increased emissions of CO₂ and reduced the amount of NH₄⁺ and NO₃^- in soil.