Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degradation coupled to methanogenesis.
Baltimore Harbor (Baltimore, MD) sediments were utilized to initiate anaerobic enrichment cultures with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the absence of supplementary electron acceptors. Cultures amended with naphthalene and phenanthrene exhibited sustained, transferable degradation of the PAHs. Bromoethanesulfonic acid, a selective inhibitor of methanogenesis, inhibited the degradation of 200 microM: naphthalene and phenanthrene; molecular characterization based on 16S rRNA sequences confirmed that methanogenic Archaea were eliminated, thus providing evidence that methanogenesis is involved in the degradation pathway.
Chang
Wook
W
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA. changw@umbi.umd.edu
Um
Youngsoon
Y
Holoman
Tracey R Pulliam
TR
D000476:Alkanesulfonates / Q000494:pharmacology; D001105:Archaea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology*; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
D000476:Alkanesulfonates; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C002634:ethane sulfonate; D008697:Methane