Enrichment and characterization of anaerobic TNT-degrading bacteria
- Univ. of Houston, TX (United States). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Three media constitutions were used to enrich for mixed cultures capable of degrading 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) under strictly anaerobic conditions. The media were derived from a mineral salts solution buffered to pH 7 with CO{sub 2}/bicarbonate and all contained TNT. The cultures were enriched in the TNT mineral salts medium or the TNT mineral salts medium supplemented with glucose, yeast extract, or ammonia in various combinations. Inocula were obtained from a treated soil, previously contaminated with dinoseb and then treated using anaerobic procedures, or from a bench-top aqueous culture, maintained with an extract from a munitions-contaminated soil for more than 4 years. Several cultures reduced TNT, producing 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene and 2,4-diamino-6-nitrotoluene as the major products. The cultures were unable to effectively remove TNT when cross-transferred to the media they were not enriched on, suggesting that different media had enriched different subcultures form the original inoculum. The treated soil provided the most successful inoculum. Two media were chosen for further studies. Medium 1 contained TNT and glucose and produced a culture that might have used TNT as a nitrogen source. Medium 2, containing TNT and yeast extract, enriched cultures that degraded TNT, accumulating small amounts of p-cresol during the degradation.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States); Idaho Univ., Moscow, ID (United States); Houston Univ., TX (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 490988
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950483--; ISBN 1-57477-008-X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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