Field metabolomics and laboratory assessments of anaerobic intrinsic bioremediation of hydrocarbons at a petroleum-contaminated site.
Field metabolomics and laboratory assays were used to assess the in situ anaerobic attenuation of hydrocarbons in a contaminated aquifer underlying a former refinery. Benzene, ethylbenzene, 2-methylnaphthalene, 1,2,4- and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene were targeted as contaminants of greatest regulatory concern (COC) whose intrinsic remediation has been previously reported. Metabolite profiles associated with anaerobic hydrocarbon decay revealed the microbial utilization of alkylbenzenes, including the trimethylbenzene COC, PAHs and several n-alkanes in the contaminated portions of the aquifer. Anaerobic biodegradation experiments designed to mimic in situ conditions showed no loss of exogenously amended COC; however, a substantive rate of endogenous electron acceptor reduction was measured (55 ± 8 µM SO(4) day(-1)). An assessment of hydrocarbon loss in laboratory experiments relative to a conserved internal marker revealed that non-COC hydrocarbons were being metabolized. Purge and trap analysis of laboratory assays showed a substantial loss of toluene, m- and o-xylene, as well as several alkanes (C(6)-C(12)). Multiple lines of evidence suggest that benzene is persistent under the prevailing site anaerobic conditions. We could find no in situ benzene intermediates (phenol or benzoate), the parent molecule proved recalcitrant in laboratory assays and low copy numbers of Desulfobacterium were found, a genus previously implicated in anaerobic benzene biodegradation. This study also showed that there was a reasonable correlation between field and laboratory findings, although with notable exception. Thus, while the intrinsic anaerobic bioremediation was clearly evident at the site, non-COC hydrocarbons were preferentially metabolized, even though there was ample literature precedence for the biodegradation of the target molecules.
Department of Botany and Microbiology and Institute for Energy and Environment, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA.
Victoria A
VA
Parisi
Gaylen R
GR
Brubaker
Matthew J
MJ
Zenker
Roger C
RC
Prince
Lisa M
LM
Gieg
Marcio L B
ML
Da Silva
Pedro J J
PJ
Alvarez
Joseph M
JM
Suflita
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D020564:Deltaproteobacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D055432:Metabolomics; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism
D006838:Hydrocarbons; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Biodegradation. 2000;11(2-3):85-105
11440245
Nature. 2008 Oct 23;455(7216):1054-6
18948945
Environ Sci Technol. 2003 Nov 15;37(22):5213-8
14655710
Environ Sci Technol. 2002 Jun 15;36(12):2724-8
12099470
Biodegradation. 2004 Dec;15(6):405-17
15562998
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2004 May;64(4):437-46
14735323
Appl Environ Microbiol. 1991 Feb;57(2):450-4
2014990
J Contam Hydrol. 2005 Dec;81(1-4):167-86
16246458
Environ Health Perspect. 2005 Jan;113(1):62-7
15626649
Environ Sci Technol. 2008 Aug 15;42(16):6065-72
18767667
FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2004 Jul 1;49(1):27-36
19712381
Environ Sci Technol. 2004 Jan 15;38(2):617-31
14750740
Sci Total Environ. 2003 May 20;307(1-3):19-33
12711423
FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2004 Mar 1;47(3):381-6
19712326
Environ Microbiol. 2002 Sep;4(9):532-7
12220410
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2003 Feb;69(2):760-8
12570993
Water Sci Technol. 2002;45(10):9-18
12188583
FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2004 Jul 1;49(1):129-35
19712390
Appl Environ Microbiol. 1999 Aug;65(8):3566-74
10427050
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2006 Jun;72(6):4274-82
16751542
Environ Sci Technol. 2002 Sep 1;36(17):3755-62
12322748
Environ Microbiol. 2008 Jan;10(1):10-9
18211263
Environ Sci Technol. 2006 Jul 1;40(13):4165-73
16858866
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2006 May;72(5):3586-92
16672506
Environ Microbiol. 2003 Feb;5(2):92-102
12558592
Biodegradation. 2004 Dec;15(6):349-57
15562993
Biodegradation. 1999 Feb;10(1):15-25
10423837
Biodegradation. 2002;13(1):53-64
12222955
Environ Microbiol. 2006 Feb;8(2):347-52
16423020
Biodegradation. 2007 Aug;18(4):515-23
17115106
Environ Sci Technol. 2005 Sep 1;39(17):6681-91
16190227
Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 Jan;60(1):313-22
8117084
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2001 Jun;12(3):259-76
11404104
J Contam Hydrol. 2003 Dec;67(1-4):269-99
14607480
Environ Microbiol. 2007 Jan;9(1):72-80
17227413
Environ Sci Technol. 2001 Feb 15;35(4):682-9
11349278