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Degradation of organic cyanides by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Conference ·
OSTI ID:431629
; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Selma Univ., AL (United States)
  2. EG&G, Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Most nitriles are health hazard materials. It has been reported that shale oil contains high concentrations of nitriles. Disposal of effluents containing nitriles is therefore of concern. A bacterium capable of utilizing acetonitrile (methyl cyanide) as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen was isolated from soil and identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This bacterium could also utilize and oxidize numerous lower-mol-wt nitrile compounds and their corresponding amides as growth substrates. A metabolite of acetonitrile in the culture medium was determined to be ammonia. The accumulation of ammonia in the culture medium was proportional to the concentration of the substrate and the inoculum. Cell extracts of the bacterium contained activities corresponding to nitrile aminohydrolase (E C 3.5.5.1) and amidase (E C 3.5.1.4), which regulate the degradation of acetonitrile. Both enzymes were inducible and hydrolyzed a wide range of substrates, and it was determined that the specific activity of amidase was far greater than the activity of nitrile aminohydrolase.
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Badger Engineers, Inc., Tampa, FL (United States); Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (United States)
OSTI ID:
431629
Report Number(s):
CONF-900512--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English