[Physicochemical and microbiological factors influencing the bioavailability of organic contaminants in subsoils]

Technical Report · Thu Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7065073· OSTI ID:7065073

We report progress in elucidating the microbiological variables important in determining the relative success of bacteria in utilizing soil-sorbed contaminants. Two bacterial species, Pseudomonas putida (ATCC 17484) and an Alcaligenes sp. isolated from petroleum contaminated soil are known to differ markedly in their ability to utilize soil-sorbed napthalene based on a kinetic comparison of their capability of naphthalene mineralization in soil-containing and soil-free systems. The kinetic analysis led us to conclude that strain 17484 had direct access to naphthalene present in a labile sorbed state which promoted the rapid desorption of naphthalene from the non-labile phase. Conversely, both the rate and extent of naphthalene mineralization by strain NP-Alk suggested that this organism had access only to naphthalene in solution. Desorption was thus limited and the efficiency of total naphthalene removal from these soil slurries was poor. These conclusions were based on the average activities of cells in soil slurries without regard for the disposition of the organisms with respect to the sorbent. Since both organisms degrade naphthalene by apparently identical biochemical pathways, have similar enzyme kinetic properties, and are both motile, gram negative organisms, we undertook a series of investigations to gain a better understanding of what microbiological properties were important in bioavailability.

• Research Organization: Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-89ER60809
• OSTI ID: 7065073
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60809-4; ON: DE93007308
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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