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Anaerobic Toxicity Assay of Polychlorinated Biphenyl: Focus on Fermentative-Methanogenic Community

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Abstract

This study aims to evaluate extensively the inhibition of six PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) congeners in batch reactors under fermentative-methanogenic condition. The reactors with anaerobic sludge were fed with mineral medium, co-substrates (ethanol and sodium formate), and five PCB concentrations. The maximum methane production (MMP) in the reactor without PCB (RC), with 0.5 (R0.5), 1.5 (R1.5), 3.0 (R3.0), 4.5 (R4.5), and 6.0 mg/L (R6.0) of PCB, was 654.83, 193.08, 111.65, 104.60, 96.67, and 79.50 μmolCH4/gTVS, respectively. The methane inhibition for the reactors R0.5, R1.5, R3.0, R4.5, and R6.0 were 70, 83, 84, 85, and 88 %, respectively. The concentration that causes 50 % of inhibition (IC50) for PCB was 0.03 mg/L. The inhibition results present two different profiles according to the concentration range. The concentration range of 0.5 to 3.0 mg/L of PCB inhibited the acetoclastic microorganisms and the concentration of 4.5 to 6.0 mg/L inhibited both methanogenic and acidogenic population. The acidogenic populations were less sensitive to the PCB than the methanogenic. Lower methane production and organic matter removal were verified in all reactors with PCB compared to RC, without PCB. The microbial community highlighted lower diversity index for reactors with higher PCB concentration. In the reactors with PCB, the populations of bacteria domain were more susceptible to composition changes than the archaea domain. The inhibitory effect of PCB is concentration-dependent and affected differently the populations of organisms in the reactor. Moreover, the range of 4.5 to 6.0 mg/L of PCB severely inhibited the anaerobic community.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for this study was provided by a grant from CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa), project number 141878/2012-6.

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  1. Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, School of Engineering of São Carlos, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador Sãocarlense, 400, 13566-590, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil

    M. R. de Lima e Silva, F. Motteran, I. K. Sakamoto & M. B. A. Varesche

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  1. M. R. de Lima e Silva
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  2. F. Motteran
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  3. I. K. Sakamoto
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  4. M. B. A. Varesche
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Correspondence to M. B. A. Varesche.

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de Lima e Silva, M.R., Motteran, F., Sakamoto, I.K. et al. Anaerobic Toxicity Assay of Polychlorinated Biphenyl: Focus on Fermentative-Methanogenic Community. Water Air Soil Pollut 227, 316 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-016-3016-7

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