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Formulation of synthetic bacteria consortia for enzymatic biodegradation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons contaminated soil: soil column study

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Abstract

As an efficient method to remove contaminants from highly polluted sites, enzyme biodegradation addresses unresolved issues such as bioremediation inefficiency. In this study, the key enzymes involved in PAH degradation were brought together from different arctic strains for the biodegradation of highly contaminated soil. These enzymes were produced via a multi-culture of psychrophilic Pseudomonas and Rhodococcus strains. As a result of biosurfactant production, the removal of pyrene was sufficiently prompted by Alcanivorax borkumensis. The key enzymes (e.g., naphthalene dioxygenase, pyrene dioxygenase, catechol-2,3 dioxygenase, 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate hydroxylase, protocatechuic acid 3,4-dioxygenase) obtained via multi-culture were characterized by tandem LC–MS/MS and kinetic studies. To simulate in situ application of produced enzyme solutions, pyrene- and dilbit-contaminated soil was bioremediated in soil columns and flask tests by injecting enzyme cocktails from the most promising consortia. The enzyme cocktail contained about 35.2 U/mg protein pyrene dioxygenase, 61.4 U/mg protein naphthalene dioxygenase, 56.5 U/mg protein catechol-2,3-dioxygenase, 6.1 U/mg protein 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate hydroxylase, and 33.5 U/mg protein protocatechuic acid (P3,4D) 3,4-dioxygenase enzymes. It was found that after 6 weeks, the average pyrene removal values showed that the enzyme solution could be effective in the soil column system (80–85% degradation of pyrene).

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Acknowledgements

Support from the James and Joanne Love Chair in Environmental Engineering is equally appreciated.

Funding

This work received financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (No. 284111, Discovery; No. 476649–14, Strategic Research Grant). Love Chair in Environmental Engineering at York University, Institute National de la Recherche Scientifique-Eau Terre Environnement, and Laval University have been acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, North York, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada

    Seyyed Mohammadreza Davoodi, Saba Miri & Satinder Kaur Brar

  2. INRS-ETE, Université du Québec, 490, Rue de La Couronne, Québec, G1K 9A9, Canada

    Richard Martel

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  1. Seyyed Mohammadreza Davoodi
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  2. Saba Miri
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  3. Satinder Kaur Brar
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  4. Richard Martel
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Contributions

Study conception and design and acquisition of data: SMD.

Analysis and interpretation of the data: SM.

Drafting of the manuscript: RM.

Critical revision: SKB.

All authors approved the final version to be submitted.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Satinder Kaur Brar.

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Davoodi, S.M., Miri, S., Brar, S.K. et al. Formulation of synthetic bacteria consortia for enzymatic biodegradation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons contaminated soil: soil column study. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 72793–72806 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27233-5

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