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Enrichment of dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing bacteria from groundwater of the Siklós BTEX-contaminated site (Hungary)

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Abstract

Dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria are commonly found in microbial communities of aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated subsurface environments where they often play key role in the degradation of the contaminants. The Siklós benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX)-contaminated area is one of the best characterized petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated sites of Hungary. Continuous monitoring of the microbial community in the center of the contaminant plume indicated the presence of an emerging Geobacter population and a Rhodoferax phylotype highly associated with aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated subsurface environments. The aim of the present study was to make an initial effort to enrich Rhodoferax-related and other dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria from this environment. Accordingly, four slightly different freshwater media were used to enrich Fe(III) reducers, differing only in the form of nitrogen source (organic, inorganic nitrogen or gaseous headspace nitrogen). Although enrichment of the desired Rhodoferax phylotype was not succeeded, Geobacter-related bacteria were readily enriched. Moreover, the different nitrogen sources caused the enrichment of different Geobacter species. Investigation of the diversity of benzylsuccinate synthase gene both in the enrichments and in the initial groundwater sample indicated that the Geobacter population in the center of the contaminant plume may not play a significant role in the anaerobic degradation of toluene.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund—OTKA (OTKA PD 104307) and Research Centre of Excellence–9878-5/2015/FEKUT and TéT_12_DE-1-2013-0007. András Táncsics was supported by the János Bolyai Research Grant of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Safety and Ecotoxicology, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Hungary

    Milán Farkas, Sándor Szoboszlay, Fruzsina Révész, Péter Gábor Veres & Balázs Kriszt

  2. Regional University Center of Excellence in Environmental Industry, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Hungary

    Tibor Benedek & András Táncsics

Authors
  1. Milán Farkas
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  2. Sándor Szoboszlay
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  3. Tibor Benedek
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  4. Fruzsina Révész
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  5. Péter Gábor Veres
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  6. Balázs Kriszt
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  7. András Táncsics
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Correspondence to Sándor Szoboszlay.

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Farkas, M., Szoboszlay, S., Benedek, T. et al. Enrichment of dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing bacteria from groundwater of the Siklós BTEX-contaminated site (Hungary). Folia Microbiol 62, 63–71 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-016-0473-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-016-0473-8

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