Kinetics of chlorinated hydrocarbon degradation by Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b and toxicity of trichloroethylene

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA)

OSTI ID:5797364

Oldenhuis, R; Oedzes, J Y; van der Waarde, J J; Janssen, D B ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Groningen (Netherlands)

The kinetics of the degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) and seven other chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons by Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b were studied. All experiments were performed with cells grown under copper stress and thus expressing soluble methane monooxygenase. Compounds that were readily degraded included chloroform, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, and TCE, with V{sub max} values of 550, 330, and 290 nmol min{sup {minus}1} mg of cells{sup {minus}1}, respectively. 1,1-Dichloroethylene was a very poor substrate. TCE was found to be toxic for the cells, and this phenomenon was studied in detail. Addition of activated carbon decreased the acute toxicity of high levels of TCE by adsorption, and slow desorption enabled the cells to partially degrade TCE. TCE was also toxic by inactivating the cells during its conversion. The degree of inactivation was proportional to the amount of TCE degraded; maximum degradation occurred at a concentration of 2 {mu}mol of TCE mg of cells{sup {minus}1}. During conversion of ({sup 14}C)TCE, various proteins became radiolabeled, including the {alpha}-subunit of the hydroxylase component of soluble methane monooxygenase. This indicated that TCE-mediated inactivation of cells was caused by nonspecific covalent binding of degradation products to cellular proteins.

• OSTI ID: 5797364
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA) Vol. 57:1; ISSN 0099-2240; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090900 -- Biomass Fuels-- Processing-- (1990-)
550201 -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CELL CULTURES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
COPPER
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
METABOLISM
METALS
METHANOTROPHIC BACTERIA
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
TOXICITY
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS