title: Kinetics of methyl t-butyl ether cometabolism at low concentrations by pure cultures of butane-degrading bacteria.
abstract: Butane-oxidizing Arthrobacter (ATCC 27778) bacteria were shown to degrade low concentrations of methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE; range, 100 to 800 microg/liter) with an apparent half-saturation concentration (K(s)) of 2.14 mg/liter and a maximum substrate utilization rate (k(c)) of 0.43 mg/mg of total suspended solids per day. Arthrobacter bacteria demonstrated MTBE degradation activity when grown on butane but not when grown on glucose, butanol, or tryptose phosphate broth. The presence of butane, tert-butyl alcohol, or acetylene had a negative impact on the MTBE degradation rate. Neither Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b nor Streptomyces griseus was able to cometabolize MTBE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-1076, USA.
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Speitel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Georgiou
mesh_terms: D001173:Arthrobacter / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002073:Butanes / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D007700:Kinetics; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000378:metabolism*; D020602:Methylosinus trichosporium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013305:Streptomyces griseus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002073:Butanes; D003470:Culture Media; D008738:Methyl Ethers; C043243:methyl tert-butyl ether; C046888:butane