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Isolation and characterization of an Arthrobacter sp. strain HB-5 that transforms atrazine

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Abstract

A bacterial strain (HB-5) capable of utilizing atrazine as sole carbon and nitrogen source for growth was isolated from an industrial wastewater sample by enrichment culture. The isolate was identified as Arthrobacter sp. according to its phenotypic features, physiologic and biochemical characteristics, and phylogenetic analysis. The strain exhibited faster atrazine degradation rates in atrazine-containing mineral media than the well-characterized atrazine-degrading bacteria Pseudomonas sp. ADP. The broad optimum pH and temperature ranges observed for strain HB-5 indicate that it has potential for remediation of atrazine-contaminated sites. Strain HB-5 first metabolizes atrazine to yield hydroxyatrazine. Then, the bacterium metabolizes hydroxyatrazine to cyanuric acid, but could not mineralize atrazine.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.20477022 and 40801203), National Key Technology R&D Program (No. 2008BADA4B05), the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China (No. 20080431215 and 200801418), and Shandong Agricultural University Foundation (No. 23605).

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Correspondence to Lusheng Zhu.

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Wang, J., Zhu, L., Liu, A. et al. Isolation and characterization of an Arthrobacter sp. strain HB-5 that transforms atrazine. Environ Geochem Health 33, 259–266 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-010-9337-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-010-9337-3

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