title: High TNT-transforming activity by a mixed culture acclimated and maintained on crude-oil-containing media.
abstract: A mixed microbial culture originating from a petroleum-contaminated site and maintained on crude oil exhibited high 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) transformation activity. Cultivation of the mixed culture in glucose-containing medium for 29 h resulted in almost complete transformation of 100 ppm TNT. TNT transformation was observed with both growing and resting cells. With subculturing, it was found that TNT could support growth of the mixed culture when supplied as sole carbon source, sole nitrogen source, or sole carbon and nitrogen source. The finding that a mixed microbial culture maintained on crude oil exhibited high TNT transformation activity without prior subculture on TNT-containing media is novel and may have potential practical applications in the bioremediation of munitions-contaminated soil and wastewater.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors.forename: Jason T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Popesku
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Jian-Shen
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jalal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hawari
authors.forename: Owen P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001711:Biotransformation; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D014303:Trinitrotoluene / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014303:Trinitrotoluene; D002244:Carbon; D005947:Glucose; D009584:Nitrogen