title: Transformation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) by Raoultella terrigena.
abstract: Manufacture of nitroorganic explosives generates toxic wastes leading to contamination of soils and waters, especially groundwater. For that reason bacteria living in environments highly contaminated with 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and other nitroorganic compounds were investigated for their capacity for TNT degradation. One isolate, Raoultella terrigena strain HB, removed TNT at concentrations between 10 and 100 mg l(-1) completely from culture supernatants under optimum aerobic conditions within several hours. Only low concentrations of nutrient supplements were needed for the cometabolic transformation process. Radioactivity measurements with ring-labelled (14)C-TNT detected about 10-20% of the initial radioactivity in the culture supernatant and the residual 80-90% as water-insoluble organic compounds in the cellular pellet. HPLC analysis identified aminodinitrotoluenes (2-ADNT, 4-ADNT) and diaminonitrotoluenes (2,4-DANT) as the metabolites which remained soluble in the culture medium and azoxy-dimers as the main products in the cell extracts. Hence, the new isolate could be useful for the removal of TNT from contaminated waters.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Wine Research, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, J. J. Becherweg 15, D-55099 Mainz, Germany. hclaus@uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Claus
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bausinger
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lehmler
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Perret
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fels
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dehner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Preuss
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: König
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D001483:Base Sequence; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D005858:Germany; D007700:Kinetics; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism; D014303:Trinitrotoluene / Q000378:metabolism*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014303:Trinitrotoluene