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Biodegradation of phenanthrene and analysis of degrading cultures in the presence of a model organo-mineral matrix and of a simulated NAPL phase

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Abstract

Two mixed bacterial cultures (CB-BT and CI-AT) degraded phenanthrene when it was: (i) in the presence of either hexadecane as a non aqueous phase liquid or a montmorillonite–Al(OH)x-humic acid complex as a model organo-mineral matrix; (ii) sorbed to the complex, either alone or in the presence of hexadecane. The cultures had different kinetic behaviours towards phenanthrene with or without hexadecane. The degradation of Phe alone as well as that of Phe in hexadecane ended in 8 and 15 days with CB-BT and CI-AT cultures, respectively. Hexadecane increased Phe bioavailability for CI-AT bacteria which degraded Phe according to first-order kinetics. The same effect was observed for CB-BT bacteria, but with an initial 2 days lag phase and in accordance with zero-order kinetics. The presence of hexadecane did not affect the degradation of phenanthrene sorbed and aged on the complex by CI-AT culture. This capability was exhibited also after experimental aging of 30 days. The dynamics of the bacterial community composition was investigated through PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) of 16S rRNA gene fragments. Individual bands changed their intensity during the incubation time, implying that particular microbe’s relative abundance changed according to the culture conditions. Isolation of phenanthrene and/or hexadecane degraders was in accord with cultivation-independent data. Growth-dependent changes in the cell surface hydrophobicity of the two cultures and of the isolates suggested that modulation of cell surface hydrophobicity probably played an important role for an efficient phenanthrene assimilation/uptake.

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Abbreviations

DGGE:

Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis

k:

Degradation rate or degradation rate constant

MAH:

Montmorillonite–Al(OH)x-humic acid complex

M1, M2, M3:

Microcosms

NAPL:

Non aqueous phase liquid

PAH:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon

Phe:

Phenanthrene

Phe-MAH:

Phenanthrene sorbed to Montmorillonite–Al(OH)x-humic acid complex

Phe-NAPL:

Phenanthrene dissolved in hexadecane

Phe-NAPL-MAH:

Phenanthrene sorbed to montmorillonite–Al(OH)x-humic acid complex in the presence of hexadecane

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was provided by grants from “Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca” (Italy) Programs of National Interest (PRIN 2001) “Caratterizzazione di Popolazioni Microbiche Capaci di Utilizzare Inquinanti Organici Poco Solubili in Fase Acquosa (NAPL)”. Authors thank Prof. C. Colombo (University of Molise) for providing the synthetic Montmorillonite–Al(OH)x-Humic acid complex and S. Foiani (University of Milan) for technical support. DISSPA Contribution No = 132.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Alimentari e Microbiologiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Lucia Cavalca, Milena Colombo & Vincenza Andreoni

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta e dell’Ambiente, Università di Napoli Federico II, 80055, Portici, Napoli, Italy

    Maria A. Rao & Liliana Gianfreda

  3. Dipartimento di Chimica Organica ed Industriale, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Silvana Bernasconi

Authors
  1. Lucia Cavalca
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  2. Maria A. Rao
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  3. Silvana Bernasconi
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  4. Milena Colombo
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  5. Vincenza Andreoni
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  6. Liliana Gianfreda
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Correspondence to Vincenza Andreoni.

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Cavalca, L., Rao, M.A., Bernasconi, S. et al. Biodegradation of phenanthrene and analysis of degrading cultures in the presence of a model organo-mineral matrix and of a simulated NAPL phase. Biodegradation 19, 1–13 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-007-9109-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-007-9109-7

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