title: Biodegradation of toxic chemicals in Guayanilla Bay, Puerto Rico.
abstract: Studies were conducted to assess the factors that may influence the rate and extent of biodegradation of biphenyl, naphthalene, phenanthrene, pentachlorophenol (PCP) and p-nitrophenol in water samples collected from the Guayanilla Bay (18 degrees N; 67.45 degrees W), southwest of Puerto Rico. In vitro studies mediated slow degradation of biphenyl, naphthalene and phenanthrene substrates by natural microbial flora present in the Bay. Addition of KNO(3) as a source of inorganic N greatly enhanced the degradation of phenanthrene but not of naphthalene, suggesting that effects on degradation due to nutrient limitation were compound specific. The rate and extent of degradation of naphthalene and PCP were higher in water samples collected closer to the source of contamination, i.e. the petrochemical complex. The identity of a phenanthrene degrading bacterium, previously identified by conventional phenotypic method (Zaidi et al., Utilizing Nature's Advanced Materials, Oxford Unviersity Press, 1999) as Alteromonas sp., was confirmed by partial DNA sequencing of the small subunit rRNA gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 9013, 00681-9013, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. brzaidi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Baqar R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Zaidi
authors.forename: Lynne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hinkey
authors.forename: Nydia R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Nadathur S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Govind
authors.forename: Syed H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Imam
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000378:metabolism; D011647:Puerto Rico; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical