Influence of calcium, iron and pH on phosphate availability for microbial mineralization of organic chemicals

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5624325

Robertson, B K; Alexander, M ^[1]

---

1. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)

A study was conducted to determine some of the factors affecting the P requirement for the biodegradation of p-nitrophenol, phenol, and glucose by Pseudomonas and Corynebacterium strains. Mineralization of glucose was rapid and the Pseudomonas sp. grew extensively in solutions with 5 and 10 mM phosphate, but the rate and extent of degradation were low and the bacterial population never became abundant in media with 0.2 mM phosphate. Similar results were obtained with the Corynebacterium sp. growing in media containing p-nitrophenol or phenol and in solutions with a purified phosphate salt. The extent of growth of the Corynebacterium sp. was reduced with 2 or 10 mM phosphate in media containing high Fe concentrations. Ca at 5 mM but not 0.5 mM inhibited p-nitrophenol mineralization by the Corynebacterium sp. with phosphate concentrations from 0.2 to 5.0 mM. Phenol mineralization by the Pseudomonas sp. in medium with 0.2 mM phosphate was rapid at pH 5.2, but the bacteria had little or no activity at pH 8.0. In contrast, the activity was greater at pH 8.0 than at pH 5.2 when the culture contained 10 mM phosphate. These effects of pH were similar in media with 5 mM Ca or no added Ca. The authors conclude that the effect of P on bacterial degradation can be influenced by the pH and the concentrations of Fe and Ca.

• OSTI ID: 5624325
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Vol. 58:1; ISSN 0099-2240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CALCIUM
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
IRON
PHENOLS
BIODEGRADATION
PHOSPHATES
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
BACTERIA
PH VALUE
PSEUDOMONAS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
540210* - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (1990-)