title: Biodegradation of an endocrine-disrupting chemical, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, by Bacillus subtilis No. 66.
abstract: A bacterial strain capable of rapidly degrading di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was isolated from soil and identified as Bacillus subtilis. The organism also utilized di-butyl phthalate, di-ethyl phthalate, di-pentyl phthalate, di-propyl phthalate, and phthalic acid as sole carbon sources; and their biodegradation ratio was over 99%, when the incubation was performed for 5 days at 30 degrees C. The microorganism degraded di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and di-butyl phthalate through the intermediate formation of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and mono-butyl phthalate, which were then metabolized to phthalic acid and further by a protocatechuate pathway, as evidenced by oxygen uptake studies and GC-MS analysis. The decontamination of soil polluted with di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate by B. subtilis was investigated. Experimental results showed that the strain could degrade about 80% of 5 mM DEHP simply by adding 8% culture medium to soil, indicating that the degradation can occur even when other organisms are present.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio-Engineering, Dalian Nationalities University, Economical and Technological Development Zone, Dalian, 116600, China.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate; C016599:mono-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate; C028577:monobutyl phthalate