Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of biostimulation on the microbial community in PCB-contaminated sediments through periodic amendment of sediment with iron

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology

Abstract

Reductive dehalogenation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by indigenous dehalorespiring microorganisms in contaminated sediments may be enhanced via biostimulation by supplying hydrogen generated through the anaerobic corrosion of elemental iron added to the sediment. In this study, the effect of periodic amendment of sediment with various dosages of iron on the microbial community present in sediment was investigated using phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) over a period of 18 months. Three PCB-contaminated sediments (two freshwater lake sediments and one marine sediment) were used. Signature biomarker analysis of the microbial community present in all three sediments revealed the enrichment of Dehalococcoides species, the population of which was sustained for a longer period of time when the sediment microcosms were amended with the lower dosage of iron (0.01 g iron per g dry sediment) every 6 months as compared to the blank system (without iron). Lower microbial stress levels were reported for the system periodically amended with 0.01 g of iron per g dry sediment every 6 months, thus reducing the competition from other hydrogen-utilizing microorganisms like methanogens, iron reducers, and sulfate reducers. The concentration of hydrogen in the system was found to be an important factor influencing the shift in microbial communities in all sediments with time. Periodic amendment of sediment with larger dosages of iron every 3 months resulted in the early prevalence of Geobacteraceae and sulfate-reducing bacteria followed by methanogens. An average pH of 8.4 (range of 8.2–8.6) and an average hydrogen concentration of 0.75% (range of 0.3–1.2%) observed between 6 and 15 months of the study were found to be conducive to sustaining the population of Dehalococcoides species in the three sediments amended with 0.01 g iron per g dry sediment. Biostimulation of indigenous PCB dechlorinators by the periodic amendment of contaminated sediments with low dosages of iron metal may therefore be an effective technology for remediation of PCB-contaminated sediments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abramowicz DA, Brennan MJ, Van Dort HM, Gallagher EL (1993) Factors influencing the rate of polychlorinated biphenyl dechlorination in Hudson River sediments. Environ Sci Technol 27:1125–1131

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Anderson RT, Vrionis HA, Ortiz-Bernad I, Resch CT, Long PE, Dayvault R, Karp K, Marutzky S, Metzler DR, Peacock A, White DC, Lowe M, Lovley DR (2003) Stimulating the in situ activity of Geobacter species to remove uranium from the groundwater of a uranium-contaminated aquifer. Appl Environ Microbiol 69(10):5884–5891

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Bedard DL, Ritalahti KM, Loffler FE (2007) The Dehalococcoides population in sediment-free mixed cultures metabolically dechlorinates the commercial polychlorinated biphenyl mixture Aroclor 1260. Appl Environ Microbiol 73(8):2513–2521

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Bligh EG, Dyer WJ (1959) A rapid method for total lipid extraction and purification. Can J Biochem Physiol 37:911–917

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Brown JF, Wagner RE (1990) PCB movement, dechlorination, and detoxification in the Acushnet estuary. Environ Toxicol Chem 9:1215–1233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cho Y-C, Oh K-H (2005) Effect of sulfate concentration on the anaerobic dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls in estuarine sediments. J Microbiol 43(2):166–171

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cord-Ruwisch R, Seitz H-J, Conrad R (1988) The capacity of hydrogenotrophic anaerobic bacteria to compete for traces of hydrogen depends on the redox potential of the terminal electron acceptor. Arch Microbiol 149(4):350–357

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Edlund A, Nichols PD, Roffey R, White DC (1985) Extractable and lipopolysaccharide fatty acid and hydroxy acid profiles fro Desulfovibrio species. J Lipid Res 26:982–988

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Frostegard A, Tunlid A, Baath E (1993) Phospholipids fatty acid composition, biomass and activity of microbial communities from two soil types exposed to different heavy metals. Soil Biol Biochem 25:723–730

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Guckert JB, Hood MA, White DC (1986) Phospholipid ester-linked fatty acid profile changes during nutrient deprivation of Vibrio cholerae: increases in the trans/cis ratio and proportions of cyclopropyl fatty acids. Appl Environ Microbiol 52:794–801

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Häggblom MM, Rivera MD, Young LY (1993) Influence of alternative electron acceptors on the anaerobic biodegradability of chlorinated phenols and benzoic acids. Appl Environ Microbiol 59:1162–1167

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Holoman TRP, Elberson MA, Cutter LA, May HD, Sowers KR (1998) Characterization of a defined 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorobiphenyl-ortho-dechlorinating microbial community by comparative sequence analysis of genes coding for 16S rRNA. Appl Environ Microbiol 64:3359–3367

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kao-Kniffin J, Balser TC (2007) Soil fertility and the impact of exotic invasion on microbial communities in Hawaiian forests. Microb Ecol 56:55–63

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Lovley DR (1985) Minimum threshold for hydrogen metabolism in methanogenic bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 49(6):1530–1531

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lovley DR (1991) Dissimilatory Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction. Microbiol Rev 55(2):259–287

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Lovley DR, Dwyer DF, Klug MJ (1982) Kinetic analysis of competition between sulfate reducers and methanogens for hydrogen in sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 43(6):1373–1379

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lovley DR, Giovannoni SJ, White DC, Champine JE, Phillips EJ, Gorby YA, Goodwin S (1993) Geobacter metallireducens gen. nov. sp. nov., a microorganism capable of coupling the complete oxidation of organic compounds to the reduction of iron and other metals. Arch Microbiol 159(4):336–344

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Maymo-Gatell X, Chien Y, Gossett JM, Zinder SH (1997) Isolation of a bacterium that reductively dechlorinates tetrachloroethene to ethene. Science 276(5318):1568–1571

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Mohn WW, Tiedje JM (1992) Microbial reductive dehalogenation. Microbiol Rev 56:482–507

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Nies L, Vogel TM (1990) Effects of organic substrate on dechlorination of Aroclor 1242 in anaerobic sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 56:2612–2617

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Phelps TJ, Ringelberg D, Hedrick D, Davis J, Fliermans CB, White DC (1988) Microbial biomass and activities associated with subsurface environments contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons. Geomicrobiol J 6:157–170

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Quensen JFI, Tiedje JM, Boyd SA (1988) Reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls by anaerobic microorganisms from sediments. Science 242:752–754

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Quensen JFIII, Boyd SA, Tiedje JM (1990) Dechlorination of four commercial polychlorinated biphenyl mixtures (Aroclors) by anaerobic microorganisms from sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 56:2360–2369

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Rhee GY, Bush B, Bethoney CM, DeNucci A, Oh HM, Sokol RC (1993) Reductive dechlorination of Aroclor 1242 in anaerobic sediments: pattern, rate, and concentration dependence. Environ Toxicol Chem 12:1025–1032

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Rysavy JP, Yan T, Novak PJ (2005) Enrichment of anaerobic polychlorinated biphenyl dechlorinators from sediment with iron as a hydrogen source. Water Res 39:569–578

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Shelton DR, Tiedje JM (1984) Isolation and partial characterization of bacteria in an anaerobic consortium that mineralizes 3-chlorobenzoic acid. Appl Environ Microbiol 48:840–848

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Smith GA, Nickels JS, Kerger BD, Davis JD, Collins SP, Wilson JT, McNabb JF, White DC (1986) Quantitative characterization of microbial biomass and community structure in subsurface material: a prokaryotic consortium responsible to organic contamination. Can J Microbiol 32:104–111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Sokol RC, Bethoney CM, Rhee G-Y (1994) Effect of hydrogen on the pathway and products of PCB dechlorination. Chemosphere 29:1743–1753

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Tiedje JM, Boyd SA, Fathepure BZ (1987) Anaerobic degradation of chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons. Dev Ind Microbiol 27:117–127

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. US EPA (1996) Test methods for evaluating solid wastes; EPA Method SW 846, 3rd ed. United States Government Printing Office, Washington, DC

  31. White DC (1983) Analysis of microorganisms in terms of quantity and activity in natural environments. Symp Soc Gen Microbiol 34:37–66

    Google Scholar 

  32. White DC, Davis WM, Nickels JS, King JD, Bobbie RJ (1977) Determination of sedimentary microbial biomass by extractable lipid phosphate. Oecologia 40:51–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. White DC, Findlay RH (1988) Biochemical markers for measurement of predation effects on the biomass, community structure, nutritional status, and metabolic activity of microbial biofilms. Hydrobiologia 159:119–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. White DC, Geyer R, Peacock AD, Hedrick DB, Koenigsberg SS, Sung Y, He J, Loffler FE (2005) Phospholipid furan fatty acids and ubiquinone-8: lipid biomarkers that may protect Dehalococcoides strains from free radicals. Appl Environ Microbiol 71(12):8426–8433

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. White DC, Ringelberg DB (1998) Signature lipid biomarker analysis. In: Burlage RS, Atlas R, Stahl D, Geesey G, Sayler G (eds) Techniques in microbial ecology. Oxford University Press, New York, NY, pp 255–272

    Google Scholar 

  36. Wu Q, Bedard DL, Wiegel J (1996) Effect of incubation temperature on the microbial reductive dechlorination of 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorobiphenyl in two freshwater sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 62(11):4174–4179

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Wu Q, Sowers KR, May HD (2000) Establishment of a polychlorinated biphenyl-dechlorinating microbial consortium, specific for doubly flanked chlorines, in a defined, sediment-free medium. Appl Environ Microbiol 66:49–53

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Ye D, Quensen JF III, Tiedje JM, Boyd SA (1992) Anaerobic dechlorination of polychlorobiphenyls (Aroclor 1242) by pasteurized and ethanol-treated microorganisms from sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 58:1110–1114

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Zwiernik MJ, Quensen JF, Boyd SA (1998) Iron sulfate amendments stimulate extensive anaerobic PCB dechlorination. Environ Sci Technol 32:3360–3365

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Zwiernik MJ, Quensen JF, Boyd SA (1999) Residual petroleum in sediments reduces the bioavailability and rate of reductive dechlorination of Aroclor 1242. Environ Sci Technol 33:3574–3578

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provided by the National Risk Management Research Laboratory of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The authors thank Dorin Bogdan (University of Illinois at Chicago) for assisting with the experiments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Materials Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA

    A. Srinivasa Varadhan & Amid P. Khodadoust

  2. US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA

    Richard C. Brenner

Authors
  1. A. Srinivasa Varadhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Amid P. Khodadoust
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Richard C. Brenner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amid P. Khodadoust.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Srinivasa Varadhan, A., Khodadoust, A.P. & Brenner, R.C. Effect of biostimulation on the microbial community in PCB-contaminated sediments through periodic amendment of sediment with iron. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 38, 1691–1707 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-011-0959-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-011-0959-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation