Biodegradation of PAHs by two bacterial species isolated from coal gasification sites
- Univ. of Cincinnati, OH (United States)
Utilization of microbial processes for bioremediation requires measuring compound degradability as well as characterization of the intermediates formed. A Mycobacterium sp. and Xanthamonas sp. were isolated from coal gasification site soils using standard enrichment techniques. The Mycobacterium sp. was isolated for its ability to mineralize pyrene, but was also found to be capable of degrading other polycyclic aromatic compounds. The Xanthamonas sp. was isolated for its ability to mineralize carbazole and showed very high substrate specificity. The Xanthamonas sp. was incubated with carbazole as the sole added carbon source for approximately two weeks. Analysis of organic extracts show the presence of at least three cleavage products of carbazole. Two of these have been tentatively identified as 2-indole-acetic acid and 2-indole-acrylic acid. A pathway for carbazole degradation by this species is proposed in which the indole moiety is maintained. Analysis of metabolites formed during pyrene degradation were found to include 4,5-pyrene-dihydrodiol, 4-phenanthroic acid, and 4,5-diphenanthroic acid. This Mycobacterium sp. was also found to biodegrade benz(a)anthracene- and benzo(a)pyrene-producing ring cleavage products. For benz(a)anthracene, analysis of organic extracts of the growth medium show at least two dihydrodiol intermediates formed as well as a ring cleavage product. A dihydrodiol intermediate and three ring cleavage products were also found with benzo(a)pyrene. Fluorescence spectra of the benzo(a)pyrene dihydrodiol intermediate was characteristic of that for benz(a)anthracene.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- National Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 491065
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9406250--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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