Enhanced biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls in soil by analog enrichment and bacterial inoculation

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1985.00472425001400030004x· OSTI ID:5255951

Brunner, W; Sutherland, F H; Focht, D D

Carbon-14-labeled polychlorinated biphenyls (PBC) representing the commercial Aroclor 1242 mixture (a mixture of chlorinated biphenyls) were incubated in soil over a 210-d period to determine if biodegradation could be enhanced by additions of straw and sludge, aerobic and anaerobic incubations, or combinations thereof. Although PCB (100 mg/kg) had no effect on microbial respiratory processes in soil, mineralization did not exceed 3% of the total added. Also, neither /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ nor /sup 14/CH/sub 4/ was produced from anaerobic incubations, although both gases were produced from organic matter additions. Further experimentation was undertaken to investigate the possibility that the soil lacked either an indigenous microflora capable of metabolizing PCB or a suitable substrate analog which promoted their activity or growth. Inoculation with Acintobacter P6 (Furukawa) alone did not enhance mineralization of /sup 14/C-PCB. However, when enriched with substrate analog biphenyl, 20 to 27% of the label was recovered as /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ over a 63-d period compared to < 1% /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ for the unenriched controls. Uninoculated and enriched treatments also greatly enhanced mineralization yielding 15 to 20% as /sup 14/CO/sub 2/, yet the extent of primary degradation of PCB (i.e., disappearance) was greater when both Acinetobacter and biphenyl were added. Analog enrichment with biphenyl is the most important factor effecting PCB degradation in soil, but additional enhancement is brought about by inoculation with Acinetobacter, which is superior to the indigenous microflora with respect to diversity towards metabolism of the isomers present in Aroclor 1242.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Riverside
• OSTI ID: 5255951
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 14:3; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKANES
AROMATICS
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
METABOLISM
METHANE
MICROORGANISMS
MINERALIZATION
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RESPIRATION
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLUDGES
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
STRAW
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WASTES