Aerobic mineralization of trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, and aromatic compounds by Rhodococcus species

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6703993

Malachowsky, K J ^[1]; Phelps, T J ^[2]; Teboli, A B; Minnikin, D E ^[3]; White, D C ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
2. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States) Oak Ridge National Laboratories, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
3. The Univ., Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom)

Two Rhodococcus strains which were isolated from a trichloroethylene (TCE)-degrading bacterial mixture and Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC 21197 mineralized vinyl chloride (VC) and TCE. Greater than 99.9% of a 1-mg/liter concentration of VC was degraded by cell suspensions. [1,2-[sup 14]C]VC was degraded by cell suspensions, with the production of greater than 66% [sup 14]CO[sub 2] and 20% [sup 14]C-aqueous phase products and incorporation of 10% of the [sup 14]C into the biomass. Cultures that utilized propane as a substrate were able to mineralize greater than 28% of [1,2-[sup 14]C]TCE to [sup 14]CO[sup 2], with approximately 40% appearing in [sup 14]C-aqueous phase products and another 10% of [sup 14]C incorporated into the biomass. VC degradation was oxygen dependent and occurred at a pH range of 5 to 10 and temperatures of 4 to 35[degrees]C. Cell suspensions degraded up to 5 mg of TCE per liter and up to 40 mg of VC per liter. Propane competitively inhibited TCE degradation. Resting cell suspensions also degraded other chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as chloroform, 1,1-dichloro-ethylene, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. The isolates degraded a mixture of aromatic and chlorinated aliphatic solvents and utilized benzene, toluene, sodium benzoate, naphthalene, biphenyl, and n-alkanes ranging in size from propane to hexadecane as carbon and energy sources. The environmental isolates appeared more catabolically versatile than R. rhodochrous ATCC 21197. The data report that environmental isolates of Rhodococcus species and R. rhodochrous ATCC 21197 have the potential to degrade TCE and VC in addition to a variety of aromatic and chlorinated aliphatic compounds either individually or in mixtures.

• OSTI ID: 6703993
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States) Vol. 60:2; ISSN AEMIDF; ISSN 0099-2240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROBIC CONDITIONS
ALKENES
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
DECOMPOSITION
ETHYLENE
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
MICROORGANISMS
MINERALIZATION
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
RHODOCOCCUS
SULFUR-OXIDIZING BACTERIA
VINYL CHLORIDE