Microbial community structure and biodegradation activity of particle-associated bacteria in a coal tar contaminated creek

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es803373y· OSTI ID:21187032

DeBruyn, Jennifer M; Sayler, Gary S ^[1]

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1. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Center for Environmental Biotechnology and Department of Microbiology

The Chattanooga Creek Superfund site (Chattanooga, TN) is one of the most polluted waterways in the southeastern U.S. with high polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in the sediments. PAHs associate with suspended solids in the water column, and may be redeposited onto the floodplain. These suspended particles represent an interesting but understudied environment for PAH-degrading microbial communities. This study tested the hypotheses that particle-associated bacterial (PAB) communities have genotypic potential (PAH-dioxygenase genes) and activity (naphthalene and pyrene mineralization), and can contribute to natural attenuation of PAHs in Chattanooga Creek. Upstream of the Superfund site, mineralization ranged from 0.2 to 2.0% of added {sup 14}C-naphthalene and 0 to 0.1% {sup 14}C-pyrene (after 40 h), with first order biodegradation rate constants (k{sub 1}) ranging from 1.09 to 9.18 x 10{sup -5} h{sup -1} and 0 to 1.13 x 10{sup -6} h{sup -1}, respectively. Mineralization was significantly greater in PAB communities within the contaminated zone, with 11.8 to 31.2% {sup 14}C-naphthalene (k{sup 1} 5.34 to 14.2 x 10-4 h{sup -1}) and 1.3 to 6.6% {sup 14}C-pyrene mineralized (k{sub 1} 2.89 to 15.0 x 10{sup -5} h{sup -1}). Abundances of nagAc (naphthalene dioxygenase) and nidA (pyrene dioxygenase) genes indicated that PAB communities harbored populations with genetic potential for both low- and high-molecular weight PAH degradation, and quantification of Mycobacterium 16S rDNA genes indicated that PAH-degrading mycobacteria are also prevalent in this environment. Phylogenetic comparisons (T-RFLPs) between PAB and sediments indicated these microbial communities were taxonomically distinct, but shared some functional similarities, namely PAH catabolic genotypes, mineralization capabilities, and community structuring along a contamination gradient. 38 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 21187032
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 43, Issue 9; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COAL TAR
USA
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BIODEGRADATION
BACTERIA
TENNESSEE
OXYGENASES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SEDIMENTS
MINERALIZATION
BIOASSAY
SUSPENSIONS
US SUPERFUND
DECONTAMINATION
NAPHTHALENE
PYRENE
GENOTYPE
GENES
STREAMS
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
ABUNDANCE