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Synergistic mineralization of biphenyl by Alcaligenes faecalis type II BPSI‐2 and Sphingomonas paucimobilis BPSI‐3
Author(s) -
Davison A. D.,
Veal D. A.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1046/j.1472-765x.1997.00181.x
Subject(s) - sphingomonas paucimobilis , mineralization (soil science) , biphenyl , biodegradation , alcaligenes , chemistry , sphingomonas , environmental chemistry , alcaligenes faecalis , enrichment culture , bioremediation , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , food science , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry , pseudomonas , 16s ribosomal rna , genetics , gene , nitrogen
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are important environmental pollutants and have been found to have adverse effects on a number of different organisms. Aerobic biodegradation of PCBs occurs through direct oxidation of the biphenyl nucleus. Biphenyl degraders are instrumental in the mineralization of PCBs to CO 2 and water. Here two bacteria, Alcaligenes faecalis type II strain BPSI‐2 and Sphingomonas paucimobilis strain BPSI‐3, are described that exhibit synergistic mineralization of biphenyl (using 14 C‐UL‐biphenyl) when grown as a co‐culture. Mineralization rates (23·7 and 9·1 nmol nmol −1 h −1 , respectively) and extent of mineralization (38·1% and 24·4%, respectively) were significantly different between the strains as well as when compared to the co‐culture (35·2 nmol nmol −1 h −1 and 45·2%). Both strains were originally isolated from an enrichment culture, BSEN‐2. The co‐culture of BPSI‐2 and 3 showed a threefold increase in mineralization rate compared with the parent culture and a decrease in the time taken for 14 CO 2 evolution to occur. There was no significant difference in the extent of mineralization between the co‐culture and BSEN‐2. Examination of enrichment cultures at the community level may play a role in optimizing bioremediation programmes.