Effect of sediment toxicity on anaerobic microbial metabolism.

Mineralization of a readily biodegradable aromatic compound (benzoate) by intrinsic microorganisms in the anoxic sediment was used to quantify the inhibitory effect of heavily contaminated sediment from the Arthur Kill estuary (NY/NJ Harbor system, USA) on the anaerobic metabolism by naturally present bacterial populations. In anoxic microcosms, the effect of varying ratios of contaminated sediment:site water and contaminated sediment:noncontaminated sediment (Flax Pond, Stony Brook, NY, USA) were investigated. In all cases, increasing the ratio of Arthur Kill sediment in the microcosms showed an inhibitory effect on the rate of 14C-benzoate mineralization as measured by the evolution of 14CO2. This inhibitory effect could be alleviated through dilution of the sediment with noncontaminated sediment, resulting in some cases in mineralization rates that were greater by an order of magnitude. The toxicity of the sediment was confirmed by whole-sediment Microtox bioassay. Analysis of the sediment revealed high (>200 mg/kg) levels of Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cr, suggesting that heavy metals may contribute to overall sediment toxicity.

Anaerobic degradation of benzene in BTX mixtures dependent on sulfate reduction.

Enrichment cultures from marine sediments mineralized benzene while using sulfate as the terminal electron acceptor. Parallel cultures using river marsh sediment displayed no activity. Mineralization was confirmed by release of 14CO2 from radiolabeled benzene. The dependence on sulfate reduction was demonstrated by stoichiometric balances and the use of specific inhibitors. This work supports recent observations that anaerobic benzene degradation takes place coupled to sulfate reduction.

Degradation of Monochlorinated and Nonchlorinated Aromatic Compounds under Iron-Reducing Conditions.

The capacity for Fe(sup3+) to serve as an electron acceptor in the microbial degradation of monochlorinated and nonchlorinated aromatic compounds was investigated in anoxic sediment enrichments. The substrates tested included phenol, benzoate, aniline, their respective monochlorinated isomers, o-, m-, and p-cresol, and all six dimethylphenol isomers. Phenol and 2-, 3-, and 4-chlorophenol were utilized by anaerobic microorganisms, with the concomitant reduction of Fe(sup3+) to Fe(sup2+). The amount of Fe(sup2+) produced in the enrichments was 89 to 138% of that expected for the stoichiometric degradation of these substrates to CO(inf2), suggesting complete mineralization at the expense of Fe reduction. Under Fe-reducing conditions, there was initial loss of benzoate and 3-chlorobenzoate but not of 2- or 4-chlorobenzoate. In addition, there was initial microbial utilization of aniline but not of the chloroaniline isomers. There was also initial loss of o-, m-, and p-cresol in our enrichments. None of the dimethylphenol isomers, however, was degraded within 300 days. Furthermore, we tested the capacity of an Fe-reducing, benzoate-grown culture of Geobacter metallireducens GS-15 to utilize monochlorinated benzoates and phenols. G. metallireducens was able to degrade benzoate and phenol but none of their chlorinated isomers, suggesting that the degradation of chlorophenols in our sediment enrichments may be due to novel Fe-reducing organisms that have yet to be isolated.

Diversity of anaerobic microbial processes in chlorobenzoate degradation: nitrate, iron, sulfate and carbonate as electron acceptors.

The utilization of monochlorobenzoate isomers (2-, 3- and 4-chlorobenzoate) by anaerobic microbial consortia in River Nile sediments was systematically evaluated under denitrifying, Fe-reducing, sulfidogenic and methanogenic conditions. Loss of all three chlorobenzoates was noted in denitrifying cultures; furthermore, the initial utilization of chlorobenzoates was fastest under denitrifying conditions. Loss of 3-chlorobenzoate was seen under all four reducing conditions and the degradation of chlorobenzoates was coupled stoichiometrically to NO3- loss, Fe2+ production, SO4(2-) loss or CH4 production, indicating that the chlorobenzoates were oxidized to CO2. To our knowledge, this is the first observation of halogenated aromatic degradation coupled to Fe reduction.

Microbial aldicarb transformation in aquifer, lake, and salt marsh sediments.

The microbial transformation of [N-methyl-(sup14)C]aldicarb, a carbamate pesticide, occurred in aquifer, lake, and salt marsh sediments. Microbial degradation of aldicarb took place within 21 days in aquifer sediments from sites previously exposed to aldicarb (Jamesport, Long Island, N.Y.) but did not occur in sediments which were not previously exposed (Connetquot State Park, Long Island, N.Y.). At the Jamesport sites, higher aldicarb transformation rates occurred in deep, anoxic sediments than in shallow, oxic sediments. There was a significant negative relationship (P < 0.05) between transformation rates and ambient dissolved O(inf2) levels. Aldicarb hydrolysis rates in Jamesport sediments were 10- to 1,000-fold lower than rates previously reported for soils. In addition, aldicarb degradation rates were not significantly correlated with measurements of bacterial activity and density previously determined in the same sediments. Substantially higher aldicarb degradation rates were found in anoxic lake and salt marsh than in aquifer sediments. Furthermore, we investigated the anaerobic microbial processes involved in aldicarb transformation by adding organic substrates (acetate, glucose), an alternative electron acceptor (nitrate), and microbial inhibitors (molybdate, 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid) to anoxic aquifer, lake, and salt marsh sediments. The results suggest that a methanogenic consortium was important in aldicarb transformation or in the use of aldicarb-derived products such as methylamine. In addition, microbial aldicarb transformation proceeded via different pathways under oxic and anoxic conditions. In the presence of O(inf2), aldicarb transformation was mainly via an oxidation pathway, while in the absence of O(inf2), degradation took place through a hydrolytic pathway (including the formation of methylamine precursors). Under anoxic conditions, therefore, aldicarb can be transformed by microbial consortia to yield products which can be of direct benefit to natural populations of methanogens present in sediments.

Heterotrophic microbial activity in shallow aquifer sediments of Long Island, New York.

Bacterial numbers and activities (as estimated by glucose uptake and total thymidine incorporation) were investigated at two sites in Long Island, New York aquifer sediments. In general, bacterial activities were higher in shallow (1.5-4.5 m below the water table or BWT), oxic sediments than in deep (10-18 m BWT), anoxic sediments. The average total glucose uptake rates were 0.18 ± 0.10 ng gdw(-1) h(-1) in shallow sediments and 0.09 ± 0.11 ng gdw(-1) h(-1) in deep sediments; total thymidine incorporation rates were 0.10 ± 0.13 pmol gdw(-1) h(-1) and 0.03 ± 0.03 pmol gdw(-1) h(-1) in shallow and deep sediments, respectively. Incorporation of glucose was highly efficient, as only about 10% of added label was recovered as CO2. Bacterial abundance (estimated from acridine orange direct counts) was 2.5 ± 2.0 × 10(7) cells gdw(-1) and 2.0 ± 1.3 × 10(7) cells gdw(-1) in shallow and deep sediments, respectively. These bacterial activity and abundance estimates are similar to values found in other aquifer environments, but are 10- to 1000-fold lower than values in soil or surface sediment of marine and estuarine systems. In general, cell specific microbial activities were lower in sites from Connetquot Park, a relatively pristine site, when compared to activities found in sites from Jamesport, which has had a history of aldicarb (a pesticide) contamination. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bacterial activity measurements in the shallow, sandy aquifers of Long Island, New York.