title: Bacterial degradation of glycol ethers.
abstract: Assimilation of ethyleneglycol (EG) ethers by polyethyleneglycol-utilizing bacteria was examined. Ethyleneglycol ether-utilizing bacteria were also isolated from soil and activated sludge samples by enrichment-culture techniques. Three strains (4-5-3, EC 1-2-1 and MC 2-2-1) were selected and characterized as Pseudomonas sp. 4-5-3, Xanthobacter autotrophicus, and an unidentified gram-negative, non-spore-forming rod respectively. Their growth characteristics were examined: Pseudomonas sp. 4-5-3 assimilated EG (diethyleneglycol, DEG) monomethyl, monoethyl and monobutyl ethers, DEG, propanol and butanol. X. autotrophicus EC 1-2-1 grew well on EG monoethyl and monobutyl ethers, EG and primary alcohols (C1-C4), and slightly on EG monomethyl ether. The strain MC 2-2-1 grew on EG monomethyl ether, EG, primary alcohols (C1-C4), and 1,2-propyleneglycol (PG). The mixed culture of Pseudomonas sp. 4-5-3 and X. autotrophicus EC 1-2-1 showed better growth and improved degradation than respective single cultures towards EG monomethyl, monoethyl or monobutyl ethers. Intact cells of Pseudomonas sp. 4-5-3 degraded various kinds of monoalkyl ethers, which cannot be assimilated by the strain. Metabolic products were characterized from reaction supernatants of intact cells of Pseudomonas sp. 4-5-3 with EG or DEG monoethyl ethers: they were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography and GC-MS and found to be ethoxyacetic acid and ethoxyglycoxyacetic acid. Also, PG monoalkyl ethers (C1-C4), dipropyleneglycol monoethyl and monomethyl ethers and tripropyleneglycol monomethyl ether were assimilated by polypropyleneglycol-utilizing Corynebacterium sp. 7.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Kobe University of Commerce, Japan.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kawai
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004987:Ethers / Q000378:metabolism*; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000378:metabolism*; D006088:Gram-Negative Aerobic Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D007220:Industrial Waste; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012997:Solvents / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004987:Ethers; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D007220:Industrial Waste; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D012997:Solvents; C013484:diethylene glycol