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TNT Biotransformation and Detoxification by a Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Strain

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Abstract

Successful microbial-mediated remediation requires transformationpathways that maximize metabolism and minimize the accumulation of toxic products. Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain MX, isolated from munitions-contaminated soil, degraded 100 mg TNT L-1 in culture medium within 10 h under aerobic conditions. The major TNT products were 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2ADNT, primarily in the supernatant) and 2,2'-azoxytoluene (2,2'AZT, primarily in the cell fraction), which accumulated as major products via the intermediate2-hydroxylamino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2HADNT). The 2HADNT and2,2'AZT were relatively less toxic to the strain than TNT and 2ADNT. Aminodinitrotoluene (ADNT) production increased when yeast extract was added to the medium. While TNT transformation rate was not affected by pH, more HADNTs accumulated at pH 5.0 than at pH 8.0 and AZTs did not accumulate at the lower pH. The appearance of 2,6-diamino-4-nitrotoluene (2,6DANT) and 2,4-diamino-6-nitrotoluene (2,4DANT); dinitrotoluene (DNT) and nitrotoluene (NT); and 3,5-dinitroaniline (3,5DNA) indicated various routes of TNT metabolism and detoxification by P. aeruginosa strain MX.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering, BK21, Seoul National University, San 56-1, Shinlim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-744, Korea

    Byung-Taek Oh

  2. School of Natural Resources, BK21, Seoul National University, San 56-1, Shinlim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-744, Korea

    Patrick J. Shea

  3. Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0915, USA

    Rhae A. Drijber

  4. Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science, Pushchino, Russia 142292

    Galina K. Vasilyeva

  5. USDA-ARS & Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0664, USA

    Gautam Sarath

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  1. Byung-Taek Oh
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  2. Patrick J. Shea
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  3. Rhae A. Drijber
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  4. Galina K. Vasilyeva
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Correspondence to Byung-Taek Oh.

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Oh, BT., Shea, P.J., Drijber, R.A. et al. TNT Biotransformation and Detoxification by a Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Strain. Biodegradation 14, 309–319 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025656325834

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