Identification of Anaerobic Aniline-Degrading Bacteria at a Contaminated Industrial Site.
Anaerobic aniline biodegradation was investigated under different electron-accepting conditions using contaminated canal and groundwater aquifer sediments from an industrial site. Aniline loss was observed in nitrate- and sulfate-amended microcosms and in microcosms established to promote methanogenic conditions. Lag times of 37 days (sulfate amended) to more than 100 days (methanogenic) were observed prior to activity. Time-series DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP) was used to identify bacteria that incorporated (13)C-labeled aniline in the microcosms established to promote methanogenic conditions. In microcosms from heavily contaminated aquifer sediments, a phylotype with 92.7% sequence similarity to Ignavibacterium album was identified as a dominant aniline degrader as indicated by incorporation of (13)C-aniline into its DNA. In microcosms from contaminated canal sediments, a bacterial phylotype within the family Anaerolineaceae, but without a match to any known genus, demonstrated the assimilation of (13)C-aniline. Acidovorax spp. were also identified as putative aniline degraders in both of these two treatments, indicating that these species were present and active in both the canal and aquifer sediments. There were multiple bacterial phylotypes associated with anaerobic degradation of aniline at this complex industrial site, which suggests that anaerobic transformation of aniline is an important process at the site. Furthermore, the aniline degrading phylotypes identified in the current study are not related to any known aniline-degrading bacteria. The identification of novel putative aniline degraders expands current knowledge regarding the potential fate of aniline under anaerobic conditions.
Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University , 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States.
Weimin
W
Sun
Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University , 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States.
Yun
Y
Li
Lora R
LR
McGuinness
Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University , 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States.
Shuai
S
Luo
Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University , 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States.
Weilin
W
Huang
Lee J
LJ
Kerkhof
DuPont, Corporate Remediation Group, Wilmington, Delaware 19714, United States.
E Erin
EE
Mack
Max M
MM
Häggblom
Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University , 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States.
Donna E
DE
Fennell
D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002617:Chemical Industry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D009515:New Jersey; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013431:Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
D000814:Aniline Compounds; D009566:Nitrates; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013431:Sulfates; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C023650:aniline