Degradation of straight-chain aliphatic and high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by a strain of Mycobacterium austroafricanum.

AIMS: Our goal was to characterize a newly isolated strain of Mycobacterium austroafricanum, obtained from manufactured gas plant (MGP) site soil and designated GTI-23, with respect to its ability to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). METHODS AND RESULTS: GTI-23 is capable of growth on phenanthrene, fluoranthene, or pyrene as a sole source of carbon and energy; it also extensively mineralizes the latter two in liquid culture and is capable of extensive degradation of fluorene and benzo[a]pyrene, although this does not lead in either of these cases to mineralization. Supplementation of benzo[a]pyrene-containing cultures with phenanthrene had no significant effect on benzo[a]pyrene degradation; however, this process was substantially inhibited by the addition of pyrene. Extensive and rapid mineralization of pyrene by GTI-23 was also observed in pyrene-amended soil. CONCLUSIONS: Strain GTI-23 shows considerable ability to mineralize a range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, both in liquid and soil environments. In this regard, GTI-23 differs markedly from the type strain of Myco. austroafricanum (ATCC 33464); the latter isolate displayed no (or very limited) mineralization of any tested PAH (phenanthrene, fluoranthene or pyrene). When grown in liquid culture, GTI-23 was also found to be capable of growing on and mineralizing two aliphatic hydrocarbons (dodecane and hexadecane). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These findings indicate that this isolate of Myco. austroafricanum may be useful for bioremediation of soils contaminated with complex mixtures of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons.

Effects of alkylphosphates and nitrous oxide on microbial degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

We conducted a series of liquid-culture experiments to begin to evaluate the abilities of gaseous sources of nitrogen and phosphorus to support biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Nutrients examined included nitrous oxide, as well as triethylphosphate (TEP) and tributylphosphate (TBP). Cultures were established using the indigenous microbial populations from one manufactured gas plant (MGP) site and one crude oil-contaminated drilling field site. Mineralization of phenanthrene was measured under alternative nutrient regimes and was compared to that seen with ammoniacal nitrogen and PO(4). Parallel cultures were used to assess removal of a suite of three- to five-ring PAHs. In summary, the abilities of the different communities to degrade PAH when supplemented with N(2)O, TEP, and TBP were highly variable. For example, in the MGP soil, organic P sources, especially TBP, supported a considerably higher degree of removal of low-molecular-weight PAHs than did PO(4); however, loss of high-molecular-weight compounds was impaired under these conditions. The disappearance of most PAHs was significantly less in the oil field soil when organophosphates were used. These results indicate that the utility of gaseous nutrients for PAH bioremediation in situ may be limited and will very likely have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.