Extensive degradation of aroclors and environmentally transformed polychlorinated biphenyls by Alcaligenes eutrophus H850
The authors have isolated and characterized a strain of Alcaligenes eutrophus, designated H850, that rapidly degrades a broad and unusual spectrum of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) including many tetra- and pentachlorobiphenyls and several hexachlorobiphenyls. This strains, which was isolated from PCB-containing dredge spoils by enrichment on biphenyl, grows well on biphenyl and 2-chlorobiphenyl but poorly on 3- and 4-chlorobiphenyl. Capillary gas-chromatographic analysis showed that biphenyl-grown resting cells of H850 degraded the components of 38 of the 41 largest peaks of Aroclor 1242 and 15 of the 44 largest peaks of Aroclor 1254, resulting in an overall reduction of PCBs by 81% for Aroclor 1242 (10 ppm) and 35% for the Aroclor 1254 (10 ppm) in 2 days. Furthermore, H850 metabolized the predominantly ortho-substituted PCB congeners that the resulted from the environmental transformation of the more highly chlorinated congeners of Aroclor 1242 by the upper Hudson River anaerobic meta-, and para-dechlorination agent system. The congener selectivity patterns indicate that a two-step process consisting of anaerobic dechlorination followed by oxidation by H850 can effectively degrade all to congeners in Aroclor 1242 and possibly all those in Aroclor 1254.
- Research Organization:
- GE Research and Development Center, Schenectady, NY
- OSTI ID:
- 6351174
- Journal Information:
- Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Vol. 53:5
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BACTERIA
GROWTH
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
METABOLISM
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
AROMATICS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology