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Utilization of the Pollutant Di‐2‐Ethylhexyl Phthalate by a Bacterium
Author(s) -
Mathur S. P.,
Rouatt J. W.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1975.00472425000400020030x
Subject(s) - phthalic acid , phthalate , plasticizer , pollutant , serratia marcescens , biodegradation , bacteria , chemistry , esterase , microbiology and biotechnology , food science , environmental chemistry , biology , enzyme , organic chemistry , biochemistry , escherichia coli , genetics , gene
A bacterium, tentatively identified as the virtually ubiquitous saprophyte Serratia marcescens Bizio, was isolated for its ability to utilize the plasticizer di‐2‐ethylhexyl phthalate as sole source of carbon and energy. The organism was able to grow on o ‐phthalic acid but not on 2‐ethylhexanol. This strain of Serratia appeared to possess a constitutive esterase, but the enzyme(s) that mediated o ‐phthalic acid utilization appeared to be adaptive. The isolate reported here should be useful in studies of the environmental dynamics of the pollutant phthalate esters, as well as for assessing the susceptibility of certain plastic materials to microbial attack.