Substrate interactions of benzene, toluene, and para-xylene during microbial degradation by pure cultures and mixed culture aquifer slurries
- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (United States)
Release of petroleum hydrocarbons in the environment is a widespread occurrence. One particular concern is the contamination of drinking water sources by the toxic, water-soluble, and mobile petroleum components benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX). Benzene, toluene, and p-xylene (BTX) were degraded by indigenous mixed cultures in sandy aquifer material and by two pure cultures isolated from the same site. Although BTX compounds have a similar chemical structure, the fate of individual BTX compounds differed when the compounds were fed to each pure culture and mixed culture aquifer slurries. The identification of substrate interactions aided the understanding of this behavior. Beneficial substrate interactions included enhanced degradation of benzene-dependent degradation of toluene and p-xylene by Arthrobacter sp. strain HCB. Detrimental substrate interactions included retardation in benzene and toluene degradation by the presence of p-xylene in both aquifer slurries and Pseudomonas incubations. The catabolic diversity of microbes in the environment precludes generalizations about the capacity of individual BTX compounds to enhance or inhibit the degradation of other BTX compounds.
- OSTI ID:
- 5990487
- Journal Information:
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States) Vol. 57:10; ISSN 0099-2240; ISSN AEMID
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
AQUIFERS
AROMATICS
BACTERIA
BENZENE
BIODEGRADATION
CATABOLISM
CELL CULTURES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLEANING
DECOMPOSITION
DECONTAMINATION
HYDROCARBONS
METABOLISM
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PSEUDOMONAS
SUBSTRATES
TOLUENE
VARIATIONS
XYLENE-PARA
XYLENES