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Biodegradation of methyl tert-butyl ether using bacterial strains

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Abstract

Prospective methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) degrading bacterial strains and/or consortia were identified. The potential for aerobic degradation of MTBE was examined using bacterial isolates from contaminated soils and groundwater. Using the 16S rDNA protocol, two isolates capable of degrading MTBE (Rhodococcus pyridinivorans 4A and Achromobacter xylosoxidans 6A) were identified. The most efficient consortium of microorganisms was acquired from contaminated groundwater. The growth of both strains and the consortium on MTBE was supported by various organic substrates, and monitored using Bioscreen®. The biochemical oxygen demand of the cultures was measured using OxiTop®, and their MTBE concentrations were estimated by gas chromatography. After 3 weeks of aerobic cultivation using n-alkanes as cosubstrate, the concentration of MTBE in R. pyridinivorans 4A was reduced to 62.4 % of its initial amount (50 ppm).

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Abbreviations

µ:

specific growth rate

LB:

Luria-Bertani medium

AA:

casamino acids

MTBE:

methyl tert-butyl ether

AL:

mixture of aliphatic alkanes C6–16

Nem:

a consortium (see text)

BOD:

biochemical oxygen demand

T :

generation time

FID:

flame ionization detector

TBA:

tert-butyl alcohol

GC:

gas chromatography

YE:

yeast extract

LA:

lactic acid

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Institute of Chemical Technology, 166 28, Prague, Czech Republic

    M. Vošahlíková-Kolářová, K. Demnerová & J. Pazlarová

  2. Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 166 10, Prague, Czech Republic

    Z. Krejčík

  3. Department of Ecology, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic

    T. Cajthaml

Authors
  1. M. Vošahlíková-Kolářová
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  2. Z. Krejčík
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  3. T. Cajthaml
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  4. K. Demnerová
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  5. J. Pazlarová
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Correspondence to J. Pazlarová.

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Vošahlíková-Kolářová, M., Krejčík, Z., Cajthaml, T. et al. Biodegradation of methyl tert-butyl ether using bacterial strains. Folia Microbiol 53, 411–416 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-008-0062-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-008-0062-6

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