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Title: Chemotactic selection of pollutant degrading soil bacteria

Abstract

A method for identifying soil microbial strains which may be bacterial degraders of pollutants comprising the steps of placing a concentration of a pollutant in a substantially closed container, placing the container in a sample of soil for a period of time ranging from one minute to several hours, retrieving the container, collecting the contents of the container, and microscopically determining the identity of the bacteria present. Different concentrations of the pollutant can be used to determine which bacteria respond to each concentration. The method can be used for characterizing a polluted site or for looking for naturally occurring biological degraders of the pollutant. Then bacteria identified as degraders of the pollutant and as chemotactically attracted to the pollutant are used to inoculate contaminated soil. To enhance the effect of the bacteria on the pollutant, nutrients are cyclicly provided to the bacteria then withheld to alternately build up the size of the bacterial colony or community and then allow it to degrade the pollutant.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Augusta, GA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
869371
Patent Number(s):
5324661
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12Q - MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
DOE Contract Number:  
AC09-89SR18035
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
chemotactic; selection; pollutant; degrading; soil; bacteria; method; identifying; microbial; strains; bacterial; degraders; pollutants; comprising; steps; placing; concentration; substantially; closed; container; sample; period; time; ranging; minute; hours; retrieving; collecting; contents; microscopically; determining; identity; concentrations; determine; respond; characterizing; polluted; site; looking; naturally; occurring; biological; identified; chemotactically; attracted; inoculate; contaminated; enhance; effect; nutrients; cyclicly; provided; withheld; alternately; build; size; colony; community; allow; degrade; contaminated soil; naturally occurring; closed container; substantially closed; microbial strains; substantially close; /435/

Citation Formats

Hazen, Terry C. Chemotactic selection of pollutant degrading soil bacteria. United States: N. p., 1994. Web.
Hazen, Terry C. Chemotactic selection of pollutant degrading soil bacteria. United States.
Hazen, Terry C. Sat . "Chemotactic selection of pollutant degrading soil bacteria". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869371.
@article{osti_869371,
title = {Chemotactic selection of pollutant degrading soil bacteria},
author = {Hazen, Terry C},
abstractNote = {A method for identifying soil microbial strains which may be bacterial degraders of pollutants comprising the steps of placing a concentration of a pollutant in a substantially closed container, placing the container in a sample of soil for a period of time ranging from one minute to several hours, retrieving the container, collecting the contents of the container, and microscopically determining the identity of the bacteria present. Different concentrations of the pollutant can be used to determine which bacteria respond to each concentration. The method can be used for characterizing a polluted site or for looking for naturally occurring biological degraders of the pollutant. Then bacteria identified as degraders of the pollutant and as chemotactically attracted to the pollutant are used to inoculate contaminated soil. To enhance the effect of the bacteria on the pollutant, nutrients are cyclicly provided to the bacteria then withheld to alternately build up the size of the bacterial colony or community and then allow it to degrade the pollutant.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1994},
month = {1}
}

Patent:

Works referenced in this record:

Measurement of bacterial random motility and chemotaxis coefficients: II. Application of single-cell-based mathematical model
journal, March 1991


Engineering concepts for in situ bioremediation
journal, September 1991