This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Edwards, E A
Right arrow Articles by Grbic-Galic, D
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Edwards, E A
Right arrow Articles by Grbic-Galic, D
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Edwards, E A
Right arrow Articles by Grbic-Galic, D

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 January; 60(1): 313-322

Anaerobic degradation of toluene and o-xylene by a methanogenic consortium.

E A Edwards and D Grbic-Galic

Department of Civil Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4020.

ABSTRACT

Toluene and o-xylene were completely mineralized to stoichiometric amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, and biomass by aquifer-derived microorganisms under strictly anaerobic conditions. The source of the inoculum was creosote-contaminated sediment from Pensacola, Fla. The adaptation periods before the onset of degradation were long (100 to 120 days for toluene degradation and 200 to 255 days for o-xylene). Successive transfers of the toluene- and o-xylene-degrading cultures remained active. Cell density in the cultures progressively increased over 2 to 3 years to stabilize at approximately 10(9) cells per ml. Degradation of toluene and o-xylene in stable mixed methanogenic cultures followed Monod kinetics, with inhibition noted at substrate concentrations above about 700 microM for o-xylene and 1,800 microM for toluene. The cultures degraded toluene or o-xylene but did not degrade m-xylene, p-xylene, benzene, ethylbenzene, or naphthalene. The degradative activity was retained after pasteurization or after starvation for 1 year. Degradation of toluene and o-xylene was inhibited by the alternate electron acceptors oxygen, nitrate, and sulfate. Degradation was also inhibited by the addition of preferred substrates such as acetate, H2, propionate, methanol, acetone, glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, peptone, and yeast extract. These data suggest that the presence of natural organic substrates or contaminants may inhibit anaerobic degradation of pollutants such as toluene and o-xylene at contaminated sites.

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 January; 60(1): 313-322




This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Grostern, A., Edwards, E. A. (2009). Characterization of a Dehalobacter Coculture That Dechlorinates 1,2-Dichloroethane to Ethene and Identification of the Putative Reductive Dehalogenase Gene. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 2684-2693 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Washer, C. E., Edwards, E. A. (2007). Identification and Expression of Benzylsuccinate Synthase Genes in a Toluene-Degrading Methanogenic Consortium. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 1367-1369 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Morris, R. M., Fung, J. M., Rahm, B. G., Zhang, S., Freedman, D. L., Zinder, S. H., Richardson, R. E. (2007). Comparative Proteomics of Dehalococcoides spp. Reveals Strain-Specific Peptides Associated with Activity. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 320-326 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Grostern, A., Edwards, E. A. (2006). A 1,1,1-Trichloroethane-Degrading Anaerobic Mixed Microbial Culture Enhances Biotransformation of Mixtures of Chlorinated Ethenes and Ethanes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 7849-7856 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Grostern, A., Edwards, E. A. (2006). Growth of Dehalobacter and Dehalococcoides spp. during Degradation of Chlorinated Ethanes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 428-436 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Waller, A. S., Krajmalnik-Brown, R., Loffler, F. E., Edwards, E. A. (2005). Multiple Reductive-Dehalogenase-Homologous Genes Are Simultaneously Transcribed during Dechlorination by Dehalococcoides-Containing Cultures. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 8257-8264 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Duhamel, M., Mo, K., Edwards, E. A. (2004). Characterization of a Highly Enriched Dehalococcoides-Containing Culture That Grows on Vinyl Chloride and Trichloroethene. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 5538-5545 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Da Silva, M. L. B., Alvarez, P. J. J. (2004). Enhanced Anaerobic Biodegradation of Benzene-Toluene-Ethylbenzene-Xylene-Ethanol Mixtures in Bioaugmented Aquifer Columns. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 4720-4726 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Qiu, Y.-L., Sekiguchi, Y., Imachi, H., Kamagata, Y., Tseng, I-C., Cheng, S.-S., Ohashi, A., Harada, H. (2004). Identification and Isolation of Anaerobic, Syntrophic Phthalate Isomer-Degrading Microbes from Methanogenic Sludges Treating Wastewater from Terephthalate Manufacturing. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 1617-1626 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Watanabe, K., Kodama, Y., Hamamura, N., Kaku, N. (2002). Diversity, Abundance, and Activity of Archaeal Populations in Oil-Contaminated Groundwater Accumulated at the Bottom of an Underground Crude Oil Storage Cavity. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 3899-3907 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Cervantes, F. J., Dijksma, W., Duong-Dac, T., Ivanova, A., Lettinga, G., Field, J. A. (2001). Anaerobic Mineralization of Toluene by Enriched Sediments with Quinones and Humus as Terminal Electron Acceptors. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67: 4471-4478 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Beller, H. R., Edwards, E. A. (2000). Anaerobic Toluene Activation by Benzylsuccinate Synthase in a Highly Enriched Methanogenic Culture. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 5503-5505 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ficker, M., Krastel, K., Orlicky, S., Edwards, E. (1999). Molecular Characterization of a Toluene-Degrading Methanogenic Consortium. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 5576-5585 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Harms, G., Zengler, K., Rabus, R., Aeckersberg, F., Minz, D., Rosselló-Mora, R., Widdel, F. (1999). Anaerobic Oxidation of o-Xylene, m-Xylene, and Homologous Alkylbenzenes by New Types of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 999-1004 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kleerebezem, R., Pol, L. W. H., Lettinga, G. (1999). Anaerobic Degradation of Phthalate Isomers by Methanogenic Consortia. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 1152-1160 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fay, M., Eisenmann, C., Diwan, S., De Rosa, C. (1998). ATSDR Evaluation of Health Effects of Chemicals. V. Xylenes: Health Effects, Toxicokinetics, Human Exposure, and Environmental Fate. Toxicol Ind Health 14: 571-766 [Abstract]  
  • Weiner, J. M., Lovley, D. R. (1998). Rapid Benzene Degradation in Methanogenic Sediments from a Petroleum-Contaminated Aquifer. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 1937-1939 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»