Biodegradation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants by soil and water microorganisms. Research report

Technical Report · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7317440

McKenna, E J; Heath, R D

Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PNAs) are widely distributed in natural soils and waters and further are introduced into the environment by, e.g., oil spills and coal conversion processes. Since these toxic chemicals not only persist in nature but also can be converted into a carcinogenic agent in the animal, their complete removal or transformation to a harmless species is important. This study (1) delineated the structural limits of PNA degradability by measuring initial rates of aromatic hydrocarbon oxidation by soil and water microorganisms and (2) determined the persistence of selected PNAs by measuring percent remaining hydrocarbon in the presence of pure and mixed microbial cultures as a function of time and by demonstrating the appearance of metabolic products. Extensive removal of potentially carcinogenic PNAs can be effected even by the very dilute microbial suspensions found in natural waters. Since bacterial degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons does not produce a carcinogenic species, it may be that in the natural environment microbes exert a protective effect on higher organisms by continuously removing these potentially harmful chemicals from the biosphere. It is anticipated that an assessment of the biodegradability of PNAs will be of assistance to bioengineers responsible for waste management in coal conversion plants andothers concerned with abatement of PNA pollution of the environment. (GRA)

• Research Organization: Illinois Univ., Urbana (USA). Dept. of Microbiology
• OSTI ID: 7317440
• Report Number(s): PB-253964; UILU-WRC-76-0113
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AROMATICS
BIODEGRADATION
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARCINOGENS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
MICROORGANISMS
OIL SPILLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PUBLIC HEALTH
SOILS
WATER POLLUTION