Abstract
Chlorophenol-degrading bacteria from a long-term polluted groundwater aquifer were characterized. All isolates degraded 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol at concentrations detected in the contaminated groundwater (< 10 mg l–1). Pentachlorophenol was degraded by three isolates when present alone. In two gram-positive isolates, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol was required as an inducer for the degradation of pentachlorophenol. The gram-positive isolates were sensitive to pentachlorophenol, with an IC50 value of 5 mg/l. Isolates belonging to the Cytophaga/Flexibacter/Bacteroides phylum had IC50 values of 25 and 63 mg/l. Isolates belonging to α-, β- and γ-Proteobacteria generally tolerated the highest pentachlorophenol concentrations (> 100 mg/l). Polychlorophenol-degrading capacity was found in strains of Nocardioides, Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, Flavobacterium, and Caulobacter previously not known to degrade polychlorophenols. In addition, six polychlorophenol-degrading sphingomonads were found.
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Received: 27 September 1998 / Accepted: 21 December 1998
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Männistö, M., Tiirola, M., Salkinoja-Salonen, M. et al. Diversity of chlorophenol-degrading bacteria isolated from contaminated boreal groundwater. Arch Microbiol 171, 189–197 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002030050698
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002030050698