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Microbial degradation of decabromodiphenyl ether (DBDE) in soil slurry microcosms

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Abstract

Decabromodiphenyl ether (DBDE), which has been identified as an endocrine disrupting compound, is used as brominated flame retardant, and this can result in serious bioaccumulation within ecological systems. The objective of this study was to explore DBDE bioremediation (25 mg/kg) using laboratory scale soil slurry microcosms. It was found that effective biodegradation of DBDE occurred in all microcosms. Various biometabolites were identified, namely polybrominated diphenyl ethers congeners and hydroxylated brominated diphenyl ether. Reductive debrominated products such as tri-BDE to hepta-BDE congeners were also detected, and their total concentrations ranged from 77.83 to 91.07 ng/g. The mechanism of DBDE biodegradation in soil slurry microcosms is proposed to consist of a series of biological reactions involving hydroxylation and debromination. Catechol 2,3-oxygenase genes, which are able to bring about meta-cleavage at specific unbrominated locations in carbon backbones, were identified as present during the DBDE biodegradation. No obvious effect on the ecological functional potential based on community-level physiological profiling was observed during DBDE biodegradation, and one major facultative Pseudomonas sp. (99 % similarity) was identified in the various soil slurry microcosms. These findings provide an important basis that should help environmental engineers to design future DBDE bioremediation systems that use a practical microcosm system. A bacterial-mixed culture can be selected as part of the bioaugmentation process for in situ DBDE bioremediation. A soil/water microcosm system can be successfully applied to carry out ex situ DBDE bioremediation.

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Abbreviations

AWCD:

Average well color development

CLPP:

Community-level physiological profiling

DBDE:

Decabromodiphenyl ether

DGGE:

Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis

HBN:

High bromine number

HRMS:

High resolution mass spectrometer

LBN:

Low bromine number

MSB:

Inorganic salt growth medium

PBDE:

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers

PCA:

Principal component analysis

PDECD:

Pulsed discharge electron capture detector

POPs:

Persistent organic pollutants

SOM:

Soil organic matte

TCS:

Taichung natural soil

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Acknowledgments

The financial support for this study was provided by the Ministry of Science and Technology (previously National Science Council), Taiwan, and this is gratefully acknowledged. The project numbers are NSC99-2627-B- 031–002 and MOST102-2221-E-031-001-MY2. Part of the results/discussions was presented at the 1st International Conference on Emerging Contaminants, Kaohsiung, in Taiwan on October, 2013. The authors thank Mrs. Liao, Yi-Fen for her great efforts during the experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Soochow University, Shinlin, Taipei, 11102, Taiwan

    Hsi-Ling Chou & Yi-Tang Chang

  2. Department of Environmental Engineering, TunNang University, Shenkeng, New Taipei, 22202, Taiwan

    Mei-Yin Hwa & Yao-Chuan Lee

  3. Department of Earth and Life Science, University of Taipei, Taipei, 11048, Taiwan

    Yu-Jie Chang

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  1. Hsi-Ling Chou
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Correspondence to Yi-Tang Chang.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Chou, HL., Hwa, MY., Lee, YC. et al. Microbial degradation of decabromodiphenyl ether (DBDE) in soil slurry microcosms. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 5255–5267 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5767-x

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