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Degradation and mineralization of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by defined fungal-bacterial cocultures

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 08:21 authored by Boonchan, S, Margaret BritzMargaret Britz, Stanley, GA
This study investigated the biodegradation of high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in liquid media and soil by bacteria (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia VUN 10,010 and bacterial consortium VUN 10,009) and a fungus (Penicillium janthinellum VUO 10,201) that were isolated from separate creosote- and manufactured-gas plant-contaminated soils. The bacteria could use pyrene as their sole carbon and energy source in a basal salts medium (BSM) and mineralized significant amounts of benzo[a]pyrene cometabolically when pyrene was also present in BSM. P. janthinellum VUO 10,201 could not utilize any high-molecular-weight PAH as sole carbon and energy source but could partially degrade these if cultured in a nutrient broth. Although small amounts of chrysene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, and dibenz[a,h]anthracene were degraded by axenic cultures of these isolates in BSM containing a single PAH, such conditions did not support significant microbial growth or PAIl mineralization. However, significant degradation of, and microbial growth on, pyrene, chrysene, benz[a] anthracene, benzo[a] pyrene, and dibenz[a,h] anthracene, each as a single PAIl in BSM, occurred when P. janthinellum VUO 10,201 and either bacterial consortium VUN 10,009 or S. maltophilia VUN 10,010 were combined in the one culture, i.e., fungal- bacterial cocultures: 25% of the benzo[a]pyrene was mineralized to CO2 by these cocultures over 49 days, accompanied by transient accumulation and disappearance of intermediates detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Inoculation of fungal-bacterial cocultures into PAH- contaminated soil resulted in significantly improved degradation of high- molecular-weight PAHs, benzo [a] pyrene mineralization (53% of added [14C] benzo [a] pyrene was recovered as 14CO2 in 100 days), and reduction in the mutagenicity of organic soil extracts, compared with the indigenous microbes and soil amended with only axenic inocula.

History

Publication title

Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Volume

66

Pagination

1007-1019

ISSN

0099-2240

Department/School

College Office - College of Sciences and Engineering

Publisher

Amer Soc Microbiology

Place of publication

1752 N St Nw, Washington, USA, Dc, 20036-2904

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences

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