Quantitative assessment of the effects of metals on microbial degradation of organic chemicals

Journal Article · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5314188

Said, W.A. ^[1]

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1. (US Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA (USA)) Lewis, D.L. (Univ. of Georgia, Athens (USA) Georgia State Univ., Atlanta (USA))

Biodegradation inhibition of a benchmark chemical, 2,4-dichloro-phenozyacetic acid methyl ester (2,4-DME), was used to quantify the inhibitory effects of heavy metals on aerobic microbial degradation rates of organic chemicals. This procedure used lake sediments and aufwuchs (floating mats) collected in the field or from laboratory microcosms. Effects of CuCl{sub 2}, HgCl{sub 2}, ZnCl{sub 2}, Cd(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}, and Cr(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} at initial concentrations ranging from 0.3 {mu}M to 73 mM (approximately 0.1 to 10,000 mg liter{sup {minus}1}) were investigated. In general, such metallic compounds appeared to be considerably more inhibitory to the biodegradation of an organic chemical than high concentrations of microbially toxic organics studied previously. Effects of various metal concentrations were evaluated based on the following: (1) estimated MICs, (2) concentrations that caused a significant effect on biodegradation parameters (both a {gt}10% decrease in V{sub max} and a {gt}10% increase in t{sub 1/2} for 2,4-DME degradation), and (3) concentrations that caused biodegradation half-life doublings (HLDs).

• OSTI ID: 5314188
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Vol. 57:5; ISSN 0099-2240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
METALS
TOXICITY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
BIODEGRADATION
CADMIUM
CHROMIUM
COPPER
INHIBITION
LAKES
MERCURY
SEDIMENTS
ZINC
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
540310 - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (1990-)