Geochemical, genetic, and physiological control of pollutant biodegradation. Annual report, 30 September 1991-29 September 1992
The proposed research was designed to utilize a combination of laboratory and field studies to identify physical, chemical, genetic, and physiological influences that govern the accumulation and biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These and related compounds are among the chemicals whose environmental fate has been targeted by the U.S. Air Force Bioenvironmental Research Program. We have conducted a prior, independent study that has shown that, despite the presence of PAH mineralizing microorganisms. PAHs persist at a site where freshwater sediments are fed by PAH-contaminated ground water. Hypotheses to be tested address fundamental mechanisms for the persistence of environmental pollutants, these include: (1) the rate of delivery meets or exceeds the rate of biodegradation; (2) the PAHs are not available to microbial populations due to sorption onto the sediment organic matter, complexation reactions with dissolved organic carbon, or due to the physical arrangement of the sediment matrix which prevents contact between PAHs and microorganisms; (3) the microorganisms may be physiologically limited by the presence of preferred metabolic substrates or toxic or inhibitory substances, or by the lack of proper final electron acceptors, electron donors, or inorganic or organic nutrients; and (4) PAHs may persist simply due to restricted distribution and abundance of biodegradation genes in naturally occurring microbial populations. By working in an iterative manner between field observations and controlled laboratory determinations, we intend to systematically test the above hypotheses and thus identify constraints on microbiological processes that mineralize PAHs (naphthalene and phenanthrene) at the field site.
- Research Organization:
- Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 6178508
- Report Number(s):
- AD-A-264106/6/XAB; CNN: AFOSR-91-0436
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
02 PETROLEUM
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
BIODEGRADATION
ABUNDANCE
AROMATICS
BIOASSAY
BUILDUP
CONSTRAINTS
CONTAMINATION
DELIVERY
DISTRIBUTION
GENES
GENETIC ENGINEERING
GEOCHEMICAL SURVEYS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GROUND WATER
HYPOTHESIS
MICROORGANISMS
NAPHTHALENE
NUTRIENTS
ORGANIC MATTER
PHENANTHRENE
PHYSIOLOGY
POLLUTANTS
POPULATIONS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SEDIMENTS
SORPTION
SUBSTRATES
TOXICITY
US DOD
USA
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
BIOTECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CONDENSED AROMATICS
CONTROL
DECOMPOSITION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATTER
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
SURVEYS
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER
550700* - Microbiology
550200 - Biochemistry
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
540220 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)