Biodegradation of TNT (2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene) by Phanerochaete chrysosporium
- Utah State Univ. Logan (USA)
Extensive biodegradation of TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene) by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was observed. At an initial concentration of 1.3 mg/liter, 35.4 {plus minus} 3.6% of the ({sup 14}C)TNT was degraded to {sup 14}CO{sub 2} in 18 days. The addition of glucose 12 days after the addition of TNT did not stimulate mineralization, and, after 18 days of incubation with TNT only, about 3.3% of the initial TNT could be recovered. Mineralization of ({sup 14}C)TNT absorbed on soil was also examined. Ground corncobs served as the nutrient for slow but sustained degradation of ({sup 14}C)TNT to {sup 14}CO{sub 2} such that 6.3 {plus minus} 0.6% of the ({sup 14}C)TNT initially present was converted to {sup 14}CO{sub 2} during the 30-day incubation period. Mass balance analysis of liquid cultures and of soil-corncob cultures revealed that polar ({sup 14}C)TNT metabolites are formed in both systems, and high-performance liquid chromatography analyses revealed that less then 5% of the radioactivity remained as undegraded ({sup 14}C)TNT following incubation with the fungus in soil and liquid cultures. When the concentration of TNT in cultures (both liquid and soil) was adjusted to contamination levels that might be found in the environment, i.e., 10,000 mg/kg in soil and 100 mg/liter in water, mineralization studies showed that 18.4 {plus minus} 2.9% and 19.6 {plus minus} 3.5% of the initial TNT was converted to {sup 14}CO{sub 2} in 90 days in soil and liquid cultures, respectively. In both cases (90 days in water at 100 mg/liter and in soil at 10,000 mg/kg) approximately 85% of the TNT was degraded. These results suggest that this fungus may be useful for the decontamination of sites in the environment contaminated with TNT.
- OSTI ID:
- 6645817
- Journal Information:
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (USA) Vol. 56:6; ISSN 0099-2240; ISSN AEMID
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540211* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- Radiometric Techniques-- (1990-)
BIODEGRADATION
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLEANING
DECOMPOSITION
DECONTAMINATION
EXPLOSIVES
FUNGI
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MASS BALANCE
METABOLISM
METABOLITES
NITRO COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
SOILS
TNT
TRACER TECHNIQUES