Microbial degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and cyanide in soils from manufactured gas plant sites
The microbial clean-up of cyanide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in soils from manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites is the subject of this study. Cyanide was examined for its inhibition on microbial PAH degradation by an MGP-soil isolate identified as a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by classical differential methods as well as 16S rRNA oligonucleotide probes. A strong cyanide-degrading Bacillus pumilus (ATCC No. 7061) strain was used for facilitating cyanide degradation thereby enhancing PAH biodegradation in this soil. This research has validated cyanide interference with the PAH degrader and shown that adding Bacillus pumilus accomplishes the removal of cyanide which subsequently allows Pseudomonas aeruginosa to metabolize PAHs. In addition to the biodegradation of cyanide and lower ring numbered PAHs, the microbial degradation of 4-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by using a mixed culture obtained from another former coal tar contaminated site was also studied. The rate of biotransformation and the abiotic loss due to volatilization were monitored. The 3-ring PAH used in this project was phenanthrene and the 4-ring PAHs used were fluoranthene and pyrene. The results showed that volatilization loss of naphthalene in the control system was substantial while volatilization of higher molecular weight PAH compounds (fluoranthene and pyrene) was negligible. The biodegradation rates of phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene are 6.56, 1.59 and 0.82 mg/L/day, respectively or 65.6, 15.9, 8.2 mg/gram of cells/day assuming 100 mg cells/L in the system. This study indicates that biodegradation of 3- and 4-ring PAHs by mixed cultures obtained from PAH contaminated sites is very promising. These studies will contribute to the understanding of PAH and cyanide removal from MGP and provide information for the design of a bioremediation project to reclaim unusable land that was contaminated through the previous coal gasification process.
- Research Organization:
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 6482755
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIODEGRADATION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
CYANIDES
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SOILS
DECONTAMINATION
BACILLUS
COAL GASIFICATION PLANTS
PSEUDOMONAS
REMEDIAL ACTION
AROMATICS
BACTERIA
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INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MICROORGANISMS
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010900 - Coal
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540220 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)