title: Aerobic biodegradation of dichloroethenes by indigenous bacteria isolated from contaminated sites in Africa.
abstract: The widespread use of tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) as dry cleaning solvents and degreasing agents for military and industrial applications has resulted in significant environmental contamination worldwide. Anaerobic biotransformation of PCE and TCE through reductive dechlorination frequently lead to the accumulation of dichloroethenes (DCEs), thus limiting the use of reductive dechlorination for the biotransformation of the compounds. In this study, seven bacteria indigenous to contaminated sites in Africa were characterized for DCE degradation under aerobic conditions. The specific growth rate constants of the bacterial isolates ranged between 0.346-0.552 d(-1) and 0.461-0.667 d(-1) in cis-DCE and trans-DCE, respectively. Gas chromatographic analysis revealed that up to 75% of the compounds were degraded within seven days with the degradation rate constants ranging between 0.167 and 0.198 d(-1). The two compounds were also observed to be significantly degraded, simultaneously, rather than sequentially, when present as a mixture. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of the bacterial isolates revealed their identity as well as their relation to other environmentally-important bacteria. The observed biodegradation of DCEs may contribute to PCE and TCE removal at the aerobic fringe of groundwater plumes undergoing reductive dechlorination in contaminated sites.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville Campus), Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa. olanirana@ukzn.ac.za
authors.forename: Ademola O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Olaniran
authors.forename: Dorsamy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pillay
authors.forename: Balakrishna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pillay
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000378:metabolism; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004000:Dichloroethylenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012997:Solvents / Q000378:metabolism; D013750:Tetrachloroethylene / Q000378:metabolism; D014241:Trichloroethylene / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D004000:Dichloroethylenes; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012997:Solvents; D014241:Trichloroethylene; D013750:Tetrachloroethylene