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Evidence for cometabolic transformation of weathered toxaphene under aerobic conditions using camphor as a co‐substrate
Author(s) -
Prieto I.,
Klimm A.,
Roldán F.,
Vetter W.,
Arbeli Z.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1111/jam.14963
Subject(s) - toxaphene , camphor , biotransformation , chemistry , environmental chemistry , bioremediation , enrichment culture , biodegradation , chromatography , food science , pesticide , organic chemistry , bacteria , biology , contamination , ecology , genetics , enzyme
Abstract Aims Toxaphene is a persistent organic pollutant, composed of approximately 1000 highly chlorinated bicyclic terpenes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if camphor, a structural analogue of toxaphene, could stimulate aerobic biotransformation of weathered toxaphene. Methods and Results Two enrichment cultures that degrade camphor as the sole carbon source were established from contaminated soil and biosolids. These cultures were used to evaluate aerobic transformation of weathered toxaphene. Only the biosolids culture could transform compounds of technical toxaphene (CTTs) in the presence of camphor, while no transformation was observed in the presence of glucose or with toxaphene as a sole carbon source. The transformed toxaphene had lower concentration of CTTs with longer retention times, and higher concentration of compounds with lower retention times. Gas chromatography with electron capture negative ion mass spectrometry (GC/ECNI‐MS) showed that aerobic biotransformation mainly occurred with Cl 8 ‐ and Cl 9 ‐CTTs compounds. The patterns of Cl 6 ‐ and Cl 7 ‐CTTs were also simplified albeit to a much lesser extent. Seven camphor‐degrading bacteria were isolated from the enrichment culture but none of them could degrade toxaphene. Conclusion Camphor degrading culture can aerobically transform CCTs via reductive pathway probably by co‐metabolism using camphor as a co‐substrate. Significance and Impact of the Study Since camphor is naturally produced by different plants, this study suggests that stimulation of aerobic transformation of toxaphene may occur in nature. Moreover plants, which produce camphor or similar compounds, might be used in bioremediation of contaminated soils.